Playscapes facts for kids

Playscapes is a special playground located in Piedmont Park in Atlanta, Georgia. It was designed by a famous artist and landscape architect named Isamu Noguchi. The playground was finished in 1976 and is known for its unique, artistic design.

The Artist Behind Playscapes

Isamu Noguchi was a talented Japanese-American artist. He loved the idea of playgrounds as art. He first thought about designing a playground way back in 1933. This first design was called Play Mountain.

Even though Play Mountain was never built, Noguchi kept creating playground ideas. For many years, he tried to make his playground dreams come true. He designed playgrounds for places like Honolulu and New York City. He even worked with another architect, Louis Kahn, on some ideas.

Noguchi's first playground that actually got built was a temporary one. It was called Kodomo no Kuni and was built near Tokyo in 1965.

Building a Unique Playground in Atlanta

In 1973, a volunteer at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta had a great idea. They suggested building a playground that was also a work of art. The museum director loved this idea. They decided the playground would be a gift from the High Museum to Atlanta. This gift would celebrate the United States Bicentennial in 1976.

The museum was given a spot in Piedmont Park for the playground. Noguchi was officially hired in October 1975. He finished his designs for the playground by December of that year. He received $225,000 to build his artistic playground.

The playground was completed in 1976, just in time for the Bicentennial. Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson accepted the playground for the city. The opening ceremony was held on May 1, 1976. Both Mayor Jackson and a fun character named Mayor H.R. Pufnstuf attended. Mayor H.R. Pufnstuf was from a popular children's television show.

Playscapes covers about one acre of land. It is near the 12th Street entrance of Piedmont Park. This playground was the only one Noguchi built in the United States before he passed away in 1988.

Keeping Playscapes Fun and Safe

Over the years, Playscapes has needed some care to stay in good condition.

In 1996, the playground was repaired for free by a Japanese company called Kajima. This was done to get ready for the 1996 Summer Olympics held in Atlanta.

By the mid-2000s, some parts of the playground started to show wear. There was rust on the slides and graffiti on some equipment. Experts estimated it would cost $3 million to replace the playground. So, between 2008 and 2009, the city spent $350,000 to fix it up. They even made small changes to some equipment to meet newer safety standards.

In 2014, the playground received another update. A company called Herman Miller gave a grant of $21,000. This money helped repaint the entire playground. It also helped repair a wall in the pavilion area. These efforts ensure Playscapes remains a fun and safe place for kids to play.

A ceremony in 2009 to celebrate the playground's restoration.