LIANA – a nature-inspired play structure that reimagines traditional playground design for primary school children. Drawing from the organic forms, LIANA blends architectural innovation with playfulness to encourage exploration, creativity, and physical activity.
Introduction
Located in La Sagrera, Barcelona, nestled within the dense urban fabric, is the Colegi Mare De Deu dels Angels primary school rooftop playground in desperate need of transformation. As part of the discipline of Collaborative Design Studio, our team embarked on a mission to reimagine this space with children’s joy and well-being at the core. The result is a twisting wooden structure—a bridge between nature and play, designed to inspire creativity, exploration and healthy growth.
The Beginning of the Design Process
Site visit and recess observation
Our journey began with a visit to the school. Observing the four bare playgrounds, we created movement maps to understand how children interacted with the space. The lack of seating, shade, and engaging elements guided our early measurements and problem identification.
Participatory Design with the kids
To align our designs with the needs of the children and their community, we designed a series of workshops and questionnaires for students, faculty, and parents. These activities encouraged participants to think creatively, imagining their ideal playgrounds through drawing and storytelling. The workshops were lively and full of insight. Children expressed their love for climbing and hiding spaces, parents highlighted safety concerns, and teachers voiced a need for multifunctional zones. Each interaction deepened our understanding of the space’s potential. After gathering data, we identified recurring themes: the importance of shade, spaces for rest, opportunities for imaginative play, and a connection to nature. These findings informed our next steps.
Terrace Selection
We evaluated all four terraces, eventually focusing on Terrace 2 and Terrace 4 as ideal locations for our intervention. Terrace 2 offered an opportunity to create a shaded, interactive space, while Terrace 4 could become a dynamic, play-focused area.
The chosen one was terrace 4, for its lack of natural elements, environmental comfort and healthy mobility aspects.
Design evaluation
Back in the studio, we translated our observations into initial sketches and models. These early iterations explored how organic, twisting forms might fit into the existing constraints. Our task was to design an architectural intervention that integrates shade, rest and natural elements, while encouraging healthy mobility.
Drawing inspiration from the forest, our concept began to take shape—a twisting structure that mimics the organic forms of tree branches, inviting children to interact with nature through play. We explored existing playground structures that use wood as a primary material, analyzing their construction methods, safety features, and aesthetic qualities. These examples helped refine our approach. Prototypes were critical in testing and refining our design. Small-scale models revealed structural challenges and opportunities for improving functionality and interaction.
Our final design features a twisting wood structure that flows seamlessly through the terrace. Incorporating natural wood tones and organic forms, the structure provides climbing paths, hidden nooks, and shaded seating areas, fostering a sense of wonder and exploration.
Representation of the central joinery system
The construction process involved precision craftsmanship and sustainable practices, using sixty-nine 45 x 100 x 3900mm thermowood planks as the primary material. In total, 137 planks, more than 530 bolts and roughly 1.650 washers were used.
You can read more about the fabrication process here.
Installation day was a moment of transformation, as the twisting structure came to life in the rooftop playground, blending artfully with the urban environment.
LIANA is a statement of what urban design can achieve when rooted in community insights, environmental consciousness, and creative collaboration. It invites children to play, explore, and connect with the natural world, even in the heart of the city.
