COLLABORATIVE WORKSHOPS PARTICIPATION
AND FEEDBACK
Amowi Phillips, Mmofra Foundation
Guillermo Bernal, Fundación Placemaking Mexico
Luciana Renner, Fundación Placemaking Mexico
Ethan Kent, PlacemakingX
Azbah Anzari, Peacemakers Pakistani
Carolina Carrasco, Espacio Lúdico
José Miguel Gómez, Espacio Lúdico
Gretchen Wilson-Prangley, PlayAfrica
Zviko Kanyoka, PlayAfrica
Jia Ping Lee, Pollin8
Leticia Lozano, MACIA Estudio
Raquel Teixeira dos Santos, B-City & Space for Play
Boopsie Maran, Places for Good
Annabel Nyole, Public Space Network
Heba Elhanafy, Charter Cities Institute
CASE STUDIES
Joana Dabaj, Ghina Kanawati, CatalyticAction
Giuseppe Grant, orizzontale
Binke Lenhardt, Crossboundaries
Renet Korthals Altes, Space for Play
Marcos Coronel, PICO Colectivo
EDITOR
Julien Clin, Arup
FRONT COVER PICTURE
Hermel Inclusive Park ©CatalyticAction
Candiracci, Sara et al. 2023. Playful Cities Design Guide:
Play for anyone, anywhere. London: Arup.
Playful Cities Design Guide © May 2023
ISBN 978-0-9929501-7-0
This publication is the result of the collaboration
between Arup, the LEGO Foundation, CatalyticAction,
and PlacemakingX. We also thank Ingka Group (IKEA)
for their support. The publication was created thanks
to the contribution of external childhood development
and play experts and numerous urban practitioners that
contributed with their knowledge, practical experiences,
and examples. For this we are very grateful, as this
fruitful collaboration is a step forward to creating a
shared language of play for all in urban spaces, and the
benefits this generates for the whole society.
AUTHORS
Dr Sara Candiracci, Associate Director, Arup
Team Lead and Co-Author
Riccardo Luca Conti, Director, CatalyticAction
Co-Author
Joana Dabaj, Director, CatalyticAction
Co-Author
Dr Dasha Moschonas, Urban designer, Arup
Co-Author
Dr Brenna Hassinger-Das, Assistant Professor, Pace
University
Co-Author
Jacopo Donato, Designer, CatalyticAction
Illustration and graphic design
COLLABORATIVE WORKSHOPS LEAD
AND TESTING
Viviana Cordero, Huasipichanga - PlacemakingX
Giulia Gualtieri, Huasipichanga - PlacemakingX
Anna Bradley, STIPO - PlacemakingX
Aknowledgements
Adults playing in the Prostoria Net Pavilion
© Numen / Domagoj Blazevic (Zagreb, Croatia)
About this guide
Who is this guide for?
How to use this guide?
Key Messages Catalogue
Why play for anyone, and anywhere
The role of urban planning and design
Promoting Play in cities
City spaces: 1 2 93 104 115 126 137 148 15
Skills: Physical Social Creative Cognitive Emotional
4PLAYFUL CITIES DESIGN GUIDE
CONTENT
INTRODUCTION
About this guide
Who is this guide for?
How to use this guide?
KEY MESSAGES
Why play for anyone, and anywhere
The role of urban planning and design
PROMOTING PLAY IN CITIES
Skills
City spaces
CATALOGUE OF PLAY IDEAS
5
5
6
7
8
8
10
14
15
26
108
Tainan Spring public urban lagoon
© MVRDV / Daria Scagliola (Tainan City, Taiwan)