Silver Playground Equipment, Play Structures and Public Park Design · 2024
World Cup Play Unit
- A' Design Award 2024 Silver Winner in Playground Equipment, Play Structures and Public Park Design
- Awarded April 15, 2024
- CLIENT: Cemer Playground Equipments
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 25,391
- Verification code 37E804B632 · Verify this award
About World Cup Play Unit
This story begins with the excitement of football and develops into a play unit with a unique appearance and style. World Cup is a playground equipment that gives kids an exciting climbing experience that brings them to the top of the structure. Its design aims to spread the enthusiasm of the World Cup that is being shared across the world over the years. With a station that looks like a football, it gives kids the impression that they are winning the World Cup when they score a goal.
World Cup Play Unit by Cemer Playground Equipments exemplifies contemporary approaches to public recreational infrastructure that synthesize industrial precision with organic warmth, creating destination play environments that serve communities across generations. The design demonstrates sophisticated understanding of child development principles, offering graduated challenges across its multi-tiered structure that accommodate varying ages, abilities, and comfort levels while encouraging progressive skill-building and confidence development. The material palette reveals thoughtful consideration of both aesthetic and functional requirements: stainless steel provides the durability and low-friction surface essential for extended slide experiences, while engineered timber elements introduce biophilic warmth that softens the industrial vocabulary and creates visual connection to the surrounding natural landscape. The geodesic dome crowning the structure functions as both architectural landmark and experiential destination, its geometric complexity offering climbing challenges while serving as an orienting beacon visible across the park landscape. Technical accomplishment manifests in the seamless integration of disparate materials, the precision engineering of curved tubular steel requiring specialized fabrication techniques to achieve the flowing helical geometry, the orange spherical connectors at structural nodes demonstrating attention to detail that elevates functional hardware into decorative elements. Thematically, the design appears to reference athletic aspiration and celebratory achievement through its name and trophy-like silhouette, perhaps inviting young users to imagine themselves as champions ascending toward victory. The placement within a landscaped park setting surrounded by mature trees demonstrates sensitive site integration that frames the structure as an exciting destination while maintaining harmony with the natural environment. Visitors might consider how the interplay of manufactured precision and organic form reflects broader contemporary design philosophy that seeks synthesis rather than opposition between technological achievement and natural beauty.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- The product helps improve kids motor skills while turning their energy into excitement. Children are offered a challenge of climbing a set of 3d nets. 3d climbing design helps children improve their motor skills, hand eye coordination and wariness of heights significantly while climbing. The cylindrical facade is comprised of wire mesh frames and it allows parents to watch over their kids as well as children to observe their surroundings.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Dimensions: Width 12,8 m x Depth 8,2 m x Height 10,3 m
Age group: 5 plus
Capacity: 55
Fall height: 2,0 m
Safety area:130 m2 - Tags
- Play, Playground, Rope, Slide, Cup, Climbing, Balance, Hanging, Role Play, Socialize, Equality, Play Value, Soccer, Ball, Football, 3D Rope
- Production Technology
- The ropes are formed by 6 strands of galvanized wires and a core either steel or fiber. Each strand is tightly braided with polyester which is adhered to galvanized wires with a patented method. With the patented tensioning system of ropes, it provides an easier assembly. Metal parts are comprised of st 37 steel with a 3 step metal finish, sandblasting and solvent free zinc primer coating, electrostatic powder paint application.
- Design Challenge
- For our team, it was challenging to capture the essence of football and create the rivalry excitement in kids. Adapting the design with materials the company can provide was another obstacle on our part. Making the top zone look like a soccer ball as well as trophy of a winner was established after long hours dedication and working together a design team. The biggest obstacle was to insert a 3d rope inside the construction and create a safety measured product for children to play in.
- Project Duration
- The project located in Madrid, Spain. The project started in January 2021 and assembly set up finished in August 2023.
- Operation Flow
- The first interaction starts with 3d rope climbing. As children start climbing up, they improve their motor skills and try to win friendly competition among themselves. The rope system has small rubber stopping areas where kids can rest and plan out their next move. As they reach halfway to the tower, kids can decide to slide off. If they prefer to climb more, there is a big platform waiting for them where they can rest, hang out, try out balance games or use the swings.
- Research
- Playgrounds have tremendous effects on the physical, social, and psychological improvement of children. To create the best environment for children various research has been done to ensure they would come across the safest conditions as well as develop their physical and social skills. Investigations have been made between the ages of 2 to 12, to understand the behaviors of children better and design the best playground they would be comfortable to play in while enhancing their experience
- Inspiration
- The story starts from the joy of football and turns into a play unit with a distinctive look and design. With a design which aims to spread the joy of World Cup that is being shared across the world throughout the years, World Cup is a play unit that offers children a challenging climbing adventure that takes them to the top of the structure. Its station resembles a football, the product offers kids a sense of winning the prize by reaching a goal as in the World Cup.
- Image Credits
- Cemer Playground Equipments
- Patents
- Patented. TR14687. Cemer Kent Ekipmanları.2016
Patented. EP17862868.1. Cemer Kent Ekipmanları.2021
Patent Pending. TR012672. Cemer Kent Ekipmanları.2021
Colors of World Cup Play Unit
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G0E3 ShopDesign Interview about World Cup Play Unit
The main principle behind our design, "World Cup," was to capture the joy and excitement of football (soccer) in a playground setting. The inspiration came from the global phenomenon of the World Cup, aiming to translate the spirit of competition and achievement into a challenging and engaging play experience for children.
Our main focus in designing this work was to create a dynamic and safe play environment that stimulates children's motor skills, coordination, and sense of adventure. We aimed to achieve a design that not only resembles a football but also offers interactive elements like climbing nets and slides to encourage physical activity and imaginative play.
Our future plans for this award-winning design include exploring opportunities to introduce it to more playgrounds globally, potentially partnering with municipalities, schools, and private developments interested in enhancing their recreational offerings with innovative play structures.
The design process for this concept spanned approximately 18 months, from initial ideation and conceptualization to final detailing and prototype testing.
This design was born out of our own inspiration to blend sports enthusiasm with playground innovation. It was not specifically commissioned but rather a passion project to create a unique play experience inspired by the World Cup.
This design is being produced by Cemer Playground Equipments at the moment.
We chose to design this particular type of play structure to merge the excitement of football with the physical challenges that promote children's development. The goal was to offer a thematic and engaging play option that stands out in the market.
While the initial concept was internally driven, we did consult with playground safety experts and child development specialists to ensure the design's suitability and safety standards.
The target customers for this design are municipalities, schools, parks, and recreational facilities looking to provide a distinctive and engaging play experience for children aged 5 and above.
What sets "World Cup" apart is its thematic integration of football elements into a playground structure. The use of climbing nets resembling a football's stitching, along with a viewing platform shaped like a football dome, creates a unique play environment that ties directly to the excitement of the sport.
The name "World Cup" was chosen to directly evoke the global appeal and competitive spirit of the FIFA World Cup, aligning with the design's thematic inspiration.
We used a variety of design tools including CAD software for 3D modeling, prototyping tools for physical mock-ups, and simulation software to test structural integrity and safety features.
The most unique aspect of our design is the integration of three-dimensional climbing nets that mimic the stitching of a football, combined with a themed viewing platform and slide structures that enhance both play value and aesthetic appeal.
We collaborated closely with our in-house design team, which includes engineers specializing in structural design and materials, as well as playground safety experts to ensure compliance with international standards.
Technology plays a crucial role in ensuring the structural integrity and safety of our design. We utilized advanced materials like galvanized wires with patented tensioning systems, polycarbonate panels for transparency and durability, and stainless steel components for longevity and corrosion resistance.
Our design was influenced by research into playground safety standards, child development principles, and trends in recreational equipment. We conducted extensive research to ensure that our design not only met but exceeded safety and quality expectations.
Some challenges we faced included integrating the complex three-dimensional climbing nets within the structure while maintaining safety standards, as well as ensuring that the thematic elements (like the football-inspired dome) were both functional and visually appealing.
We decided to submit our design to an international design competition like the A' Design Awards to gain recognition on a global scale, showcase our innovative approach to playground design, and potentially attract partnerships or investment opportunities.
Through the process of designing "World Cup," we learned valuable lessons in material science, structural engineering, and the importance of thematic integration in recreational design. This project also allowed us to refine our manufacturing processes and expand our capabilities in creating bespoke play structures.
One additional point worth mentioning is our commitment to sustainability. We aim to incorporate eco-friendly materials and energy-efficient production processes in future iterations of this design, aligning with global trends towards environmental responsibility in manufacturing.