Newmarket Racecourse

We were approached by the Jockey Club to design a new playground in the family enclosure at Newmarket Racecourse. The existing play equipment was outdated and offered very little play value. The brief was to design a play space for children of all ages with opportunities for physical challenge, exploration and collaboration. The aim was to create a play space with a largely natural feel, using timber as the predominant material.

There are two main features; a large circular sandpit with a bespoke sand play climbing unit in the middle surrounded by a raised bank with tunnels built into it and a large bespoke play structure with a climbing wall, scramble net, 3.6m high tunnel slide and a trough slide. A large rope swing for up to 10 children at a time encourages social interaction and collaboration. Logs and boulders add to the natural feel of the play space. A local timber sculptor was commissioned to create a couple of ponies for the play ground to further encourage imaginative play.