External Learning

This new ‘risky’ playground is a work of art – and a place for kids to escape their mollycoddling parents

<p>Imagine this&colon; a heap of colourful plastic buckets stacked on top of each other to form a climbable bridge&comma; monolithic bluestone boulders holding up a contorted slide&comma; a pile of concrete demolition debris moonlighting as a resting spot&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>At every point&comma; children can be seen swinging their bodies from warped&comma; dented monkey bars and balancing along rope-webs strung between stones&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Would you let your kids come here and play&quest;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>This new playground in Melbourne’s Southbank is the work of artist Mike Hewson&period; The project can be confusing for the public&period; Is it a playground&quest; A sculpture&quest; Or an unfinished piece of infrastructure&quest;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Hewson’s playable public art parks in Sydney and Melbourne are known to be &OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;<a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;abc&period;net&period;au&sol;news&sol;2022-11-07&sol;risk-play-playground-city-of-melbourne-not-dangerous-safe&sol;101622592">risky<&sol;a>” – but risk means different things to different people&period; And it’s exactly the risks his art takes that makes it so valuable&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><amp-twitter data-tweetid&equals;"1589357985792667648" layout&equals;"responsive" width&equals;"600" height&equals;"480"><&sol;amp-twitter><&sol;p>&NewLine;<h2>The risk of no risk<&sol;h2>&NewLine;<p>Urban play has long been synonymous with the <a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;researchgate&period;net&sol;publication&sol;32893804&lowbar;The&lowbar;Ludic&lowbar;city&lowbar;Exploring&lowbar;the&lowbar;potential&lowbar;of&lowbar;public&lowbar;spaces">cultural life of art and the city<&sol;a>&period; In the decades of Europe’s baby boom&comma; new playground concepts emerged with a focus on &OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;free play” &lpar;distinct from earlier playgrounds resembling <a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;rarehistoricalphotos&period;com&sol;dangerous-playgrounds-1900s&sol;">open-air gymnasiums<&sol;a>&rpar;&comma; as one of children’s fundamental needs&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;Tufsen”&comma; Egon Möller-Nielsen’s unusual sculpture was the first unscripted <a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;digitaltmuseum&period;se&sol;011015020013&sol;konstnaren-egon-moller-nielsens-lekskulptur-tuffsen-med-barn">free play sculpture<&sol;a> of its kind&comma; created in 1949&comma; bringing together abstract art and play in a public space&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>This new approach generated a boom in playground sculptures&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<figure class&equals;"align-center zoomable"><a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;images&period;theconversation&period;com&sol;files&sol;494286&sol;original&sol;file-20221108-24-gaqspe&period;jpg&quest;ixlib&equals;rb-1&period;1&period;0&amp&semi;q&equals;45&amp&semi;auto&equals;format&amp&semi;w&equals;1000&amp&semi;fit&equals;clip"><img src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;images&period;theconversation&period;com&sol;files&sol;494286&sol;original&sol;file-20221108-24-gaqspe&period;jpg&quest;ixlib&equals;rb-1&period;1&period;0&amp&semi;q&equals;45&amp&semi;auto&equals;format&amp&semi;w&equals;754&amp&semi;fit&equals;clip" sizes&equals;"&lpar;min-width&colon; 1466px&rpar; 754px&comma; &lpar;max-width&colon; 599px&rpar; 100vw&comma; &lpar;min-width&colon; 600px&rpar; 600px&comma; 237px" srcset&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;images&period;theconversation&period;com&sol;files&sol;494286&sol;original&sol;file-20221108-24-gaqspe&period;jpg&quest;ixlib&equals;rb-1&period;1&period;0&amp&semi;q&equals;45&amp&semi;auto&equals;format&amp&semi;w&equals;600&amp&semi;h&equals;455&amp&semi;fit&equals;crop&amp&semi;dpr&equals;1 600w&comma; https&colon;&sol;&sol;images&period;theconversation&period;com&sol;files&sol;494286&sol;original&sol;file-20221108-24-gaqspe&period;jpg&quest;ixlib&equals;rb-1&period;1&period;0&amp&semi;q&equals;30&amp&semi;auto&equals;format&amp&semi;w&equals;600&amp&semi;h&equals;455&amp&semi;fit&equals;crop&amp&semi;dpr&equals;2 1200w&comma; https&colon;&sol;&sol;images&period;theconversation&period;com&sol;files&sol;494286&sol;original&sol;file-20221108-24-gaqspe&period;jpg&quest;ixlib&equals;rb-1&period;1&period;0&amp&semi;q&equals;15&amp&semi;auto&equals;format&amp&semi;w&equals;600&amp&semi;h&equals;455&amp&semi;fit&equals;crop&amp&semi;dpr&equals;3 1800w&comma; https&colon;&sol;&sol;images&period;theconversation&period;com&sol;files&sol;494286&sol;original&sol;file-20221108-24-gaqspe&period;jpg&quest;ixlib&equals;rb-1&period;1&period;0&amp&semi;q&equals;45&amp&semi;auto&equals;format&amp&semi;w&equals;754&amp&semi;h&equals;572&amp&semi;fit&equals;crop&amp&semi;dpr&equals;1 754w&comma; https&colon;&sol;&sol;images&period;theconversation&period;com&sol;files&sol;494286&sol;original&sol;file-20221108-24-gaqspe&period;jpg&quest;ixlib&equals;rb-1&period;1&period;0&amp&semi;q&equals;30&amp&semi;auto&equals;format&amp&semi;w&equals;754&amp&semi;h&equals;572&amp&semi;fit&equals;crop&amp&semi;dpr&equals;2 1508w&comma; https&colon;&sol;&sol;images&period;theconversation&period;com&sol;files&sol;494286&sol;original&sol;file-20221108-24-gaqspe&period;jpg&quest;ixlib&equals;rb-1&period;1&period;0&amp&semi;q&equals;15&amp&semi;auto&equals;format&amp&semi;w&equals;754&amp&semi;h&equals;572&amp&semi;fit&equals;crop&amp&semi;dpr&equals;3 2262w" alt&equals;"Kids play on a concrete sculpture&period;" &sol;><&sol;a><figcaption><span class&equals;"caption">Egon Möller-Nielsen’s Tufsen in Stockholm was the first free-play sculpture&period;<&sol;span> <span class&equals;"attribution"><span class&equals;"source">Sune Sundahl<&sol;span><&sol;span><&sol;figcaption><&sol;figure>&NewLine;<p>In the early 1980s&comma; we saw a significant shift in response to questions of risk&comma; hazards and children’s safety&comma; which resulted in <a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;celos&period;ca&sol;wiki&sol;uploads&sol;CityParks&sol;PlaygroundSafetyWhitePaper-Kids-n-Safe-Play-CJD&period;pdf">fears and threats of litigation<&sol;a>&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>As play-safety standards were introduced in Australia&comma; the United States and the United Kingdom&comma; <a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;transfer-arch&period;com&sol;playground-project&sol;">innovation<&sol;a> in the arena of a playable public realm slowed&period; As soon as the standards began to be referenced in liability cases&comma; playspace designers began to follow them&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Designs outside the specifications were avoided and playgrounds were standardised into the <a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;vox&period;com&sol;videos&sol;2019&sol;2&sol;21&sol;18229434&sol;risky-playground-design">&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;boring” versions<&sol;a> that still dominate most of our play spaces&comma; where the potential movement of children is scripted&colon; up&comma; across and down&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<figure class&equals;"align-center zoomable"><a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;images&period;theconversation&period;com&sol;files&sol;493830&sol;original&sol;file-20221107-17-9gc6d8&period;jpeg&quest;ixlib&equals;rb-1&period;1&period;0&amp&semi;q&equals;45&amp&semi;auto&equals;format&amp&semi;w&equals;1000&amp&semi;fit&equals;clip"><img src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;images&period;theconversation&period;com&sol;files&sol;493830&sol;original&sol;file-20221107-17-9gc6d8&period;jpeg&quest;ixlib&equals;rb-1&period;1&period;0&amp&semi;q&equals;45&amp&semi;auto&equals;format&amp&semi;w&equals;754&amp&semi;fit&equals;clip" sizes&equals;"&lpar;min-width&colon; 1466px&rpar; 754px&comma; &lpar;max-width&colon; 599px&rpar; 100vw&comma; &lpar;min-width&colon; 600px&rpar; 600px&comma; 237px" srcset&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;images&period;theconversation&period;com&sol;files&sol;493830&sol;original&sol;file-20221107-17-9gc6d8&period;jpeg&quest;ixlib&equals;rb-1&period;1&period;0&amp&semi;q&equals;45&amp&semi;auto&equals;format&amp&semi;w&equals;600&amp&semi;h&equals;450&amp&semi;fit&equals;crop&amp&semi;dpr&equals;1 600w&comma; https&colon;&sol;&sol;images&period;theconversation&period;com&sol;files&sol;493830&sol;original&sol;file-20221107-17-9gc6d8&period;jpeg&quest;ixlib&equals;rb-1&period;1&period;0&amp&semi;q&equals;30&amp&semi;auto&equals;format&amp&semi;w&equals;600&amp&semi;h&equals;450&amp&semi;fit&equals;crop&amp&semi;dpr&equals;2 1200w&comma; https&colon;&sol;&sol;images&period;theconversation&period;com&sol;files&sol;493830&sol;original&sol;file-20221107-17-9gc6d8&period;jpeg&quest;ixlib&equals;rb-1&period;1&period;0&amp&semi;q&equals;15&amp&semi;auto&equals;format&amp&semi;w&equals;600&amp&semi;h&equals;450&amp&semi;fit&equals;crop&amp&semi;dpr&equals;3 1800w&comma; https&colon;&sol;&sol;images&period;theconversation&period;com&sol;files&sol;493830&sol;original&sol;file-20221107-17-9gc6d8&period;jpeg&quest;ixlib&equals;rb-1&period;1&period;0&amp&semi;q&equals;45&amp&semi;auto&equals;format&amp&semi;w&equals;754&amp&semi;h&equals;566&amp&semi;fit&equals;crop&amp&semi;dpr&equals;1 754w&comma; https&colon;&sol;&sol;images&period;theconversation&period;com&sol;files&sol;493830&sol;original&sol;file-20221107-17-9gc6d8&period;jpeg&quest;ixlib&equals;rb-1&period;1&period;0&amp&semi;q&equals;30&amp&semi;auto&equals;format&amp&semi;w&equals;754&amp&semi;h&equals;566&amp&semi;fit&equals;crop&amp&semi;dpr&equals;2 1508w&comma; https&colon;&sol;&sol;images&period;theconversation&period;com&sol;files&sol;493830&sol;original&sol;file-20221107-17-9gc6d8&period;jpeg&quest;ixlib&equals;rb-1&period;1&period;0&amp&semi;q&equals;15&amp&semi;auto&equals;format&amp&semi;w&equals;754&amp&semi;h&equals;566&amp&semi;fit&equals;crop&amp&semi;dpr&equals;3 2262w" alt&equals;"This playground seems to be balancing on boulders&period;" &sol;><&sol;a><figcaption><span class&equals;"caption">The new playground at Melbourne’s Southbank doesn’t look like the playgrounds of your childhood&period;<&sol;span> <span class&equals;"attribution"><span class&equals;"source">Mike Hewson<&sol;span><&sol;span><&sol;figcaption><&sol;figure>&NewLine;<p>Over the past 30 years&comma; interpretations of <a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;standards&period;org&period;au&sol;news&sol;new-australian-standard-for-playground-safety">these safety standards<&sol;a> continue to regularly confuse the meanings of &OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;risk” and &OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;hazard”&period; A risk is something the child is aware of&comma; forcing them to identify&comma; analyse and overcome the challenge&semi; a hazard puts one in danger because a condition for injury exists the user cannot perceive&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Conflating these meanings has resulted in a cultural attitude toward play that is <a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;academia&period;edu&sol;1479806&sol;Risk&lowbar;deficit&lowbar;disorder">highly risk-averse<&sol;a>&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>This risk-aversion is in contrast to the mounting research on the <a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;ncbi&period;nlm&period;nih&period;gov&sol;pmc&sol;articles&sol;PMC3499858&sol;">benefits of risk<&sol;a> for children&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Risk-aversion can have <a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;researchdirect&period;westernsydney&period;edu&period;au&sol;islandora&sol;object&sol;uws&colon;50781&sol;">long-term health implications<&sol;a> on adolescence and into adulthood&comma; potentially impacting the development of anxiety&comma; depression&comma; obesity and diabetes&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<figure class&equals;"align-center zoomable"><a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;images&period;theconversation&period;com&sol;files&sol;493834&sol;original&sol;file-20221107-25-tyv924&period;jpeg&quest;ixlib&equals;rb-1&period;1&period;0&amp&semi;q&equals;45&amp&semi;auto&equals;format&amp&semi;w&equals;1000&amp&semi;fit&equals;clip"><img src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;images&period;theconversation&period;com&sol;files&sol;493834&sol;original&sol;file-20221107-25-tyv924&period;jpeg&quest;ixlib&equals;rb-1&period;1&period;0&amp&semi;q&equals;45&amp&semi;auto&equals;format&amp&semi;w&equals;754&amp&semi;fit&equals;clip" sizes&equals;"&lpar;min-width&colon; 1466px&rpar; 754px&comma; &lpar;max-width&colon; 599px&rpar; 100vw&comma; &lpar;min-width&colon; 600px&rpar; 600px&comma; 237px" srcset&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;images&period;theconversation&period;com&sol;files&sol;493834&sol;original&sol;file-20221107-25-tyv924&period;jpeg&quest;ixlib&equals;rb-1&period;1&period;0&amp&semi;q&equals;45&amp&semi;auto&equals;format&amp&semi;w&equals;600&amp&semi;h&equals;400&amp&semi;fit&equals;crop&amp&semi;dpr&equals;1 600w&comma; https&colon;&sol;&sol;images&period;theconversation&period;com&sol;files&sol;493834&sol;original&sol;file-20221107-25-tyv924&period;jpeg&quest;ixlib&equals;rb-1&period;1&period;0&amp&semi;q&equals;30&amp&semi;auto&equals;format&amp&semi;w&equals;600&amp&semi;h&equals;400&amp&semi;fit&equals;crop&amp&semi;dpr&equals;2 1200w&comma; https&colon;&sol;&sol;images&period;theconversation&period;com&sol;files&sol;493834&sol;original&sol;file-20221107-25-tyv924&period;jpeg&quest;ixlib&equals;rb-1&period;1&period;0&amp&semi;q&equals;15&amp&semi;auto&equals;format&amp&semi;w&equals;600&amp&semi;h&equals;400&amp&semi;fit&equals;crop&amp&semi;dpr&equals;3 1800w&comma; https&colon;&sol;&sol;images&period;theconversation&period;com&sol;files&sol;493834&sol;original&sol;file-20221107-25-tyv924&period;jpeg&quest;ixlib&equals;rb-1&period;1&period;0&amp&semi;q&equals;45&amp&semi;auto&equals;format&amp&semi;w&equals;754&amp&semi;h&equals;503&amp&semi;fit&equals;crop&amp&semi;dpr&equals;1 754w&comma; https&colon;&sol;&sol;images&period;theconversation&period;com&sol;files&sol;493834&sol;original&sol;file-20221107-25-tyv924&period;jpeg&quest;ixlib&equals;rb-1&period;1&period;0&amp&semi;q&equals;30&amp&semi;auto&equals;format&amp&semi;w&equals;754&amp&semi;h&equals;503&amp&semi;fit&equals;crop&amp&semi;dpr&equals;2 1508w&comma; https&colon;&sol;&sol;images&period;theconversation&period;com&sol;files&sol;493834&sol;original&sol;file-20221107-25-tyv924&period;jpeg&quest;ixlib&equals;rb-1&period;1&period;0&amp&semi;q&equals;15&amp&semi;auto&equals;format&amp&semi;w&equals;754&amp&semi;h&equals;503&amp&semi;fit&equals;crop&amp&semi;dpr&equals;3 2262w" alt&equals;"This playground seems to be built of plastic buckets&period;" &sol;><&sol;a><figcaption><span class&equals;"caption">Hewson is also behind Pockets Park in Leichhardt&comma; Sydney&period;<&sol;span> <span class&equals;"attribution"><span class&equals;"source">Mike Hewson<&sol;span><&sol;span><&sol;figcaption><&sol;figure>&NewLine;<p>In fact&comma; researchers Jonathan Haidt and Pamela Paresky <a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;theguardian&period;com&sol;commentisfree&sol;2019&sol;jan&sol;10&sol;by-mollycoddling-our-children-were-fuelling-mental-illness-in-teenagers">suggest<&sol;a> contemporary society &OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;mollycoddles” children&period; The risk-of-no-risk is a question of resilience – not only physical but also&comma; perhaps more importantly&comma; <a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;apa&period;org&sol;topics&sol;resilience">psychological resilience<&sol;a>&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Psychological resilience is the capacity for adaptation in the face of tragedy&comma; trauma&comma; adversity&comma; threats or significant stress&period; Put simply&comma; resilience is the ability to &OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;bounce back” from challenging experiences&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Based on this premise&comma; Hewson’s &OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;risky” sculptural play environments can bolster&comma; fortify and increase psychological resilience among children&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<figure class&equals;"align-center zoomable"><a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;images&period;theconversation&period;com&sol;files&sol;493835&sol;original&sol;file-20221107-25-71diu3&period;jpeg&quest;ixlib&equals;rb-1&period;1&period;0&amp&semi;q&equals;45&amp&semi;auto&equals;format&amp&semi;w&equals;1000&amp&semi;fit&equals;clip"><img src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;images&period;theconversation&period;com&sol;files&sol;493835&sol;original&sol;file-20221107-25-71diu3&period;jpeg&quest;ixlib&equals;rb-1&period;1&period;0&amp&semi;q&equals;45&amp&semi;auto&equals;format&amp&semi;w&equals;754&amp&semi;fit&equals;clip" sizes&equals;"&lpar;min-width&colon; 1466px&rpar; 754px&comma; &lpar;max-width&colon; 599px&rpar; 100vw&comma; &lpar;min-width&colon; 600px&rpar; 600px&comma; 237px" srcset&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;images&period;theconversation&period;com&sol;files&sol;493835&sol;original&sol;file-20221107-25-71diu3&period;jpeg&quest;ixlib&equals;rb-1&period;1&period;0&amp&semi;q&equals;45&amp&semi;auto&equals;format&amp&semi;w&equals;600&amp&semi;h&equals;400&amp&semi;fit&equals;crop&amp&semi;dpr&equals;1 600w&comma; https&colon;&sol;&sol;images&period;theconversation&period;com&sol;files&sol;493835&sol;original&sol;file-20221107-25-71diu3&period;jpeg&quest;ixlib&equals;rb-1&period;1&period;0&amp&semi;q&equals;30&amp&semi;auto&equals;format&amp&semi;w&equals;600&amp&semi;h&equals;400&amp&semi;fit&equals;crop&amp&semi;dpr&equals;2 1200w&comma; https&colon;&sol;&sol;images&period;theconversation&period;com&sol;files&sol;493835&sol;original&sol;file-20221107-25-71diu3&period;jpeg&quest;ixlib&equals;rb-1&period;1&period;0&amp&semi;q&equals;15&amp&semi;auto&equals;format&amp&semi;w&equals;600&amp&semi;h&equals;400&amp&semi;fit&equals;crop&amp&semi;dpr&equals;3 1800w&comma; https&colon;&sol;&sol;images&period;theconversation&period;com&sol;files&sol;493835&sol;original&sol;file-20221107-25-71diu3&period;jpeg&quest;ixlib&equals;rb-1&period;1&period;0&amp&semi;q&equals;45&amp&semi;auto&equals;format&amp&semi;w&equals;754&amp&semi;h&equals;503&amp&semi;fit&equals;crop&amp&semi;dpr&equals;1 754w&comma; https&colon;&sol;&sol;images&period;theconversation&period;com&sol;files&sol;493835&sol;original&sol;file-20221107-25-71diu3&period;jpeg&quest;ixlib&equals;rb-1&period;1&period;0&amp&semi;q&equals;30&amp&semi;auto&equals;format&amp&semi;w&equals;754&amp&semi;h&equals;503&amp&semi;fit&equals;crop&amp&semi;dpr&equals;2 1508w&comma; https&colon;&sol;&sol;images&period;theconversation&period;com&sol;files&sol;493835&sol;original&sol;file-20221107-25-71diu3&period;jpeg&quest;ixlib&equals;rb-1&period;1&period;0&amp&semi;q&equals;15&amp&semi;auto&equals;format&amp&semi;w&equals;754&amp&semi;h&equals;503&amp&semi;fit&equals;crop&amp&semi;dpr&equals;3 2262w" alt&equals;"A kid climbs on a brick wall&period;" &sol;><&sol;a><figcaption><span class&equals;"caption">These playgrounds can bolster psychological resilience&period;<&sol;span> <span class&equals;"attribution"><span class&equals;"source">Mike Hewson<&sol;span><&sol;span><&sol;figcaption><&sol;figure>&NewLine;<p>In contrast to the conventional playground where movement is predetermined&comma; Hewson’s projects offer children the opportunity to explore unfamiliar&comma; unscripted&comma; innovative and playable sculptural worlds&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>When given the chance&comma; even very young children <a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;jstor&period;org&sol;stable&sol;10&period;7721&sol;chilyoutenvi&period;25&period;2&period;0301">show clear abilities<&sol;a> to negotiate unfamiliar spaces&comma; manage risks and determine their own limitations&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<h2>Playable sculpture<&sol;h2>&NewLine;<p>Hewson’s sculptural playgrounds don’t just offer the opportunity for children to take risks&period; Their very construction appears to be risky&colon; all playable parts appear to be improvised&comma; cobbled together with cardboard and chicken wire&comma; balanced just-so or teetering on the verge of collapse&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<figure class&equals;"align-center zoomable"><a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;images&period;theconversation&period;com&sol;files&sol;494310&sol;original&sol;file-20221109-9155-zrdnlv&period;jpeg&quest;ixlib&equals;rb-1&period;1&period;0&amp&semi;q&equals;45&amp&semi;auto&equals;format&amp&semi;w&equals;1000&amp&semi;fit&equals;clip"><img src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;images&period;theconversation&period;com&sol;files&sol;494310&sol;original&sol;file-20221109-9155-zrdnlv&period;jpeg&quest;ixlib&equals;rb-1&period;1&period;0&amp&semi;q&equals;45&amp&semi;auto&equals;format&amp&semi;w&equals;754&amp&semi;fit&equals;clip" sizes&equals;"&lpar;min-width&colon; 1466px&rpar; 754px&comma; &lpar;max-width&colon; 599px&rpar; 100vw&comma; &lpar;min-width&colon; 600px&rpar; 600px&comma; 237px" srcset&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;images&period;theconversation&period;com&sol;files&sol;494310&sol;original&sol;file-20221109-9155-zrdnlv&period;jpeg&quest;ixlib&equals;rb-1&period;1&period;0&amp&semi;q&equals;45&amp&semi;auto&equals;format&amp&semi;w&equals;600&amp&semi;h&equals;400&amp&semi;fit&equals;crop&amp&semi;dpr&equals;1 600w&comma; https&colon;&sol;&sol;images&period;theconversation&period;com&sol;files&sol;494310&sol;original&sol;file-20221109-9155-zrdnlv&period;jpeg&quest;ixlib&equals;rb-1&period;1&period;0&amp&semi;q&equals;30&amp&semi;auto&equals;format&amp&semi;w&equals;600&amp&semi;h&equals;400&amp&semi;fit&equals;crop&amp&semi;dpr&equals;2 1200w&comma; https&colon;&sol;&sol;images&period;theconversation&period;com&sol;files&sol;494310&sol;original&sol;file-20221109-9155-zrdnlv&period;jpeg&quest;ixlib&equals;rb-1&period;1&period;0&amp&semi;q&equals;15&amp&semi;auto&equals;format&amp&semi;w&equals;600&amp&semi;h&equals;400&amp&semi;fit&equals;crop&amp&semi;dpr&equals;3 1800w&comma; https&colon;&sol;&sol;images&period;theconversation&period;com&sol;files&sol;494310&sol;original&sol;file-20221109-9155-zrdnlv&period;jpeg&quest;ixlib&equals;rb-1&period;1&period;0&amp&semi;q&equals;45&amp&semi;auto&equals;format&amp&semi;w&equals;754&amp&semi;h&equals;503&amp&semi;fit&equals;crop&amp&semi;dpr&equals;1 754w&comma; https&colon;&sol;&sol;images&period;theconversation&period;com&sol;files&sol;494310&sol;original&sol;file-20221109-9155-zrdnlv&period;jpeg&quest;ixlib&equals;rb-1&period;1&period;0&amp&semi;q&equals;30&amp&semi;auto&equals;format&amp&semi;w&equals;754&amp&semi;h&equals;503&amp&semi;fit&equals;crop&amp&semi;dpr&equals;2 1508w&comma; https&colon;&sol;&sol;images&period;theconversation&period;com&sol;files&sol;494310&sol;original&sol;file-20221109-9155-zrdnlv&period;jpeg&quest;ixlib&equals;rb-1&period;1&period;0&amp&semi;q&equals;15&amp&semi;auto&equals;format&amp&semi;w&equals;754&amp&semi;h&equals;503&amp&semi;fit&equals;crop&amp&semi;dpr&equals;3 2262w" alt&equals;"A girl climbs in a cage on a boulder&period;" &sol;><&sol;a><figcaption><span class&equals;"caption">Hewson’s sculptures seem like they’re teetering on the verge of collapse&period;<&sol;span> <span class&equals;"attribution"><span class&equals;"source">Mike Hewson<&sol;span><&sol;span><&sol;figcaption><&sol;figure>&NewLine;<p>And yet nothing is quite as it appears&period; With Hewson’s background in engineering&comma; each playable element has been meticulously designed&comma; structurally engineered and thoughtfully integrated into the urban realm&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>This illusion of danger gives the works a sense of the uncanny&comma; appealing to art-lovers and children alike&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>In the art world&comma; Hewson’s works are <a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;artlink&period;com&period;au&sol;articles&sol;4930&sol;unfettered-actions-sportification-playgrounds-and-&sol;">important<&sol;a> for their bold and cheeky irreverence of the traditions of public art&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>By making these sculptures playable – and seemingly defective – they tip the hierarchy of &OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;art” upside down&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<figure class&equals;"align-center zoomable"><a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;images&period;theconversation&period;com&sol;files&sol;493841&sol;original&sol;file-20221107-3517-uc8m3a&period;jpeg&quest;ixlib&equals;rb-1&period;1&period;0&amp&semi;q&equals;45&amp&semi;auto&equals;format&amp&semi;w&equals;1000&amp&semi;fit&equals;clip"><img src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;images&period;theconversation&period;com&sol;files&sol;493841&sol;original&sol;file-20221107-3517-uc8m3a&period;jpeg&quest;ixlib&equals;rb-1&period;1&period;0&amp&semi;q&equals;45&amp&semi;auto&equals;format&amp&semi;w&equals;754&amp&semi;fit&equals;clip" sizes&equals;"&lpar;min-width&colon; 1466px&rpar; 754px&comma; &lpar;max-width&colon; 599px&rpar; 100vw&comma; &lpar;min-width&colon; 600px&rpar; 600px&comma; 237px" srcset&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;images&period;theconversation&period;com&sol;files&sol;493841&sol;original&sol;file-20221107-3517-uc8m3a&period;jpeg&quest;ixlib&equals;rb-1&period;1&period;0&amp&semi;q&equals;45&amp&semi;auto&equals;format&amp&semi;w&equals;600&amp&semi;h&equals;400&amp&semi;fit&equals;crop&amp&semi;dpr&equals;1 600w&comma; https&colon;&sol;&sol;images&period;theconversation&period;com&sol;files&sol;493841&sol;original&sol;file-20221107-3517-uc8m3a&period;jpeg&quest;ixlib&equals;rb-1&period;1&period;0&amp&semi;q&equals;30&amp&semi;auto&equals;format&amp&semi;w&equals;600&amp&semi;h&equals;400&amp&semi;fit&equals;crop&amp&semi;dpr&equals;2 1200w&comma; https&colon;&sol;&sol;images&period;theconversation&period;com&sol;files&sol;493841&sol;original&sol;file-20221107-3517-uc8m3a&period;jpeg&quest;ixlib&equals;rb-1&period;1&period;0&amp&semi;q&equals;15&amp&semi;auto&equals;format&amp&semi;w&equals;600&amp&semi;h&equals;400&amp&semi;fit&equals;crop&amp&semi;dpr&equals;3 1800w&comma; https&colon;&sol;&sol;images&period;theconversation&period;com&sol;files&sol;493841&sol;original&sol;file-20221107-3517-uc8m3a&period;jpeg&quest;ixlib&equals;rb-1&period;1&period;0&amp&semi;q&equals;45&amp&semi;auto&equals;format&amp&semi;w&equals;754&amp&semi;h&equals;503&amp&semi;fit&equals;crop&amp&semi;dpr&equals;1 754w&comma; https&colon;&sol;&sol;images&period;theconversation&period;com&sol;files&sol;493841&sol;original&sol;file-20221107-3517-uc8m3a&period;jpeg&quest;ixlib&equals;rb-1&period;1&period;0&amp&semi;q&equals;30&amp&semi;auto&equals;format&amp&semi;w&equals;754&amp&semi;h&equals;503&amp&semi;fit&equals;crop&amp&semi;dpr&equals;2 1508w&comma; https&colon;&sol;&sol;images&period;theconversation&period;com&sol;files&sol;493841&sol;original&sol;file-20221107-3517-uc8m3a&period;jpeg&quest;ixlib&equals;rb-1&period;1&period;0&amp&semi;q&equals;15&amp&semi;auto&equals;format&amp&semi;w&equals;754&amp&semi;h&equals;503&amp&semi;fit&equals;crop&amp&semi;dpr&equals;3 2262w" alt&equals;"A kid swings on warped monkey bars&period;" &sol;><&sol;a><figcaption><span class&equals;"caption">This might look broken – but it’s highly engineered&period;<&sol;span> <span class&equals;"attribution"><span class&equals;"source">Mike Hewson<&sol;span><&sol;span><&sol;figcaption><&sol;figure>&NewLine;<p>Australia has a long-standing reputation of presenting &OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;<a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;smh&period;com&period;au&sol;entertainment&sol;art-and-design&sol;public-art-and-social-history-is-the-monument-dead-20141211-122bzf&period;html">plonk art<&sol;a>” in public spaces&period; Plonk art is a pejorative slang term for the large Modernist artworks intended for government plazas&comma; corporate atriums and open parks designed to be looked at but not touched&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Hewson takes sculpture off its pedestal and integrates it directly into the public domain&comma; while also engaging local communities in the creative development stages of his projects&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>For this experimentation&comma; he receives some <a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;theage&period;com&period;au&sol;national&sol;nsw&sol;trying-to-push-the-conversation-the-inner-west-playground-dividing-parents-20220211-p59vm8&period;html">backlash<&sol;a> from certain sections of the community – but his convictions keep him pushing forward&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<figure class&equals;"align-center zoomable"><a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;images&period;theconversation&period;com&sol;files&sol;493826&sol;original&sol;file-20221107-25-7m89vo&period;jpeg&quest;ixlib&equals;rb-1&period;1&period;0&amp&semi;q&equals;45&amp&semi;auto&equals;format&amp&semi;w&equals;1000&amp&semi;fit&equals;clip"><img src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;images&period;theconversation&period;com&sol;files&sol;493826&sol;original&sol;file-20221107-25-7m89vo&period;jpeg&quest;ixlib&equals;rb-1&period;1&period;0&amp&semi;q&equals;45&amp&semi;auto&equals;format&amp&semi;w&equals;754&amp&semi;fit&equals;clip" sizes&equals;"&lpar;min-width&colon; 1466px&rpar; 754px&comma; &lpar;max-width&colon; 599px&rpar; 100vw&comma; &lpar;min-width&colon; 600px&rpar; 600px&comma; 237px" srcset&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;images&period;theconversation&period;com&sol;files&sol;493826&sol;original&sol;file-20221107-25-7m89vo&period;jpeg&quest;ixlib&equals;rb-1&period;1&period;0&amp&semi;q&equals;45&amp&semi;auto&equals;format&amp&semi;w&equals;600&amp&semi;h&equals;800&amp&semi;fit&equals;crop&amp&semi;dpr&equals;1 600w&comma; https&colon;&sol;&sol;images&period;theconversation&period;com&sol;files&sol;493826&sol;original&sol;file-20221107-25-7m89vo&period;jpeg&quest;ixlib&equals;rb-1&period;1&period;0&amp&semi;q&equals;30&amp&semi;auto&equals;format&amp&semi;w&equals;600&amp&semi;h&equals;800&amp&semi;fit&equals;crop&amp&semi;dpr&equals;2 1200w&comma; https&colon;&sol;&sol;images&period;theconversation&period;com&sol;files&sol;493826&sol;original&sol;file-20221107-25-7m89vo&period;jpeg&quest;ixlib&equals;rb-1&period;1&period;0&amp&semi;q&equals;15&amp&semi;auto&equals;format&amp&semi;w&equals;600&amp&semi;h&equals;800&amp&semi;fit&equals;crop&amp&semi;dpr&equals;3 1800w&comma; https&colon;&sol;&sol;images&period;theconversation&period;com&sol;files&sol;493826&sol;original&sol;file-20221107-25-7m89vo&period;jpeg&quest;ixlib&equals;rb-1&period;1&period;0&amp&semi;q&equals;45&amp&semi;auto&equals;format&amp&semi;w&equals;754&amp&semi;h&equals;1005&amp&semi;fit&equals;crop&amp&semi;dpr&equals;1 754w&comma; https&colon;&sol;&sol;images&period;theconversation&period;com&sol;files&sol;493826&sol;original&sol;file-20221107-25-7m89vo&period;jpeg&quest;ixlib&equals;rb-1&period;1&period;0&amp&semi;q&equals;30&amp&semi;auto&equals;format&amp&semi;w&equals;754&amp&semi;h&equals;1005&amp&semi;fit&equals;crop&amp&semi;dpr&equals;2 1508w&comma; https&colon;&sol;&sol;images&period;theconversation&period;com&sol;files&sol;493826&sol;original&sol;file-20221107-25-7m89vo&period;jpeg&quest;ixlib&equals;rb-1&period;1&period;0&amp&semi;q&equals;15&amp&semi;auto&equals;format&amp&semi;w&equals;754&amp&semi;h&equals;1005&amp&semi;fit&equals;crop&amp&semi;dpr&equals;3 2262w" alt&equals;"Hewson's packed playground&period;" &sol;><&sol;a><figcaption><span class&equals;"caption">We need to give kids space to take risks&period;<&sol;span> <span class&equals;"attribution"><span class&equals;"source">Mike Hewson<&sol;span><&sol;span><&sol;figcaption><&sol;figure>&NewLine;<p>His works advance the role of public art in creating a more culturally rich&comma; intergenerational public domain while also challenging conventions of the ubiquitous de-risked playground&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>So what do you think&quest; Is it time we integrate more playable art opportunities into the public realm&quest;<&excl;-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag&period; Please DO NOT REMOVE&period; --><img style&equals;"border&colon; none &excl;important&semi; box-shadow&colon; none &excl;important&semi; margin&colon; 0 &excl;important&semi; max-height&colon; 1px &excl;important&semi; max-width&colon; 1px &excl;important&semi; min-height&colon; 1px &excl;important&semi; min-width&colon; 1px &excl;important&semi; opacity&colon; 0 &excl;important&semi; outline&colon; none &excl;important&semi; padding&colon; 0 &excl;important&semi;" src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;counter&period;theconversation&period;com&sol;content&sol;193218&sol;count&period;gif&quest;distributor&equals;republish-lightbox-basic" alt&equals;"The Conversation" width&equals;"1" height&equals;"1" &sol;><&excl;-- End of code&period; If you don't see any code above&comma; please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button&period; The page counter does not collect any personal data&period; More info&colon; https&colon;&sol;&sol;theconversation&period;com&sol;republishing-guidelines --><&sol;p>&NewLine;<h6><a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;theconversation&period;com&sol;profiles&sol;sanne-mestrom-1136027">Sanné Mestrom<&sol;a>&comma; Senior Lecturer&comma; DECRA Fellow&comma; Sydney College of the Arts&comma; <em><a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;theconversation&period;com&sol;institutions&sol;university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney&period; <&sol;a><&sol;em>This article is republished from <a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;theconversation&period;com">The Conversation<&sol;a> under a Creative Commons license&period; Read the <a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;theconversation&period;com&sol;this-new-risky-playground-is-a-work-of-art-and-a-place-for-kids-to-escape-their-mollycoddling-parents-193218">original article<&sol;a>&period;<&sol;h6>&NewLine;

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