Playworld - Torres™
2025 - 2026 ~ Playground Design
Inspired by “pit caves,” Torres brings the thrill of cave expeditions to the playground. Named after Portugal’s largest lava tube, Gruta das Torres, the structure takes cues from its steep passages and the many ways through them.
At the base, the rope jungle takes inspiration from an overgrown cave entrance, with sensory elements and small hammocks tucked among the ropes. From there, kids can climb up, down, and boulder around, or find their way into the Flow Zone. When connected to surrounding Ropescapes® components, the Flow Zone opens up even more routes to explore. At the top, the Grotto offers a place to hang out, with suspended seating, sensory elements, a colorful roof, and a 12-foot slide back to the ground.
Role: Lead Designer
Design Support: Craig Mellott, Tiffany Zhang, Hap Parker, Lauren Menezes
Photography: PlayPower, Inc.
Ideation
Taking cues from Playworld’s Ropescapes® visual language, exploration began by studying origami architecture. Several rounds of ideation were presented to the team. While considering the aesthetic of the product, we were also focused on how it would connect to the broader Ropescapes® system.
Playtests!
Working closely with the R&D team, we built a full-scale, functional prototype for kids to explore. Playtesting revealed which features worked, how kids navigated the structure, and where the climb could offer more variety. I focused on the paths kids took and how to add different levels of challenge, much like a rock climbing expedition. These observations led to adjustments in the final rope positions and the addition of climbing cleats, giving adventurous kids options to “boulder” around the perimeter.
Ideation
Taking cues from Playworld’s Ropescapes® visual language, exploration began by studying origami inspired architecture. Several rounds of ideation were presented to the team. While considering the function and aesthetic of the product, we were also focused on how it would connect to the broader Ropescapes® system.
Playtests!
Working closely with the R&D team, we built a full-scale, functional prototype for kids to explore. Playtesting revealed which features worked, how kids navigated the structure, and where the climb could offer more variety. I focused on the paths kids took and how to add different levels of challenge, much like a rock climbing expedition. These observations led to adjustments in the final rope positions and the addition of climbing cleats, giving adventurous kids options to “boulder” around the perimeter.
