international design competition: playable 2010

0: playable 2010/ defined
1: why?/ healthy + happy kids
2: who?/ professionals, students, children + sponsors
3: what?/ competition categories
4: where?/ what we know so far
5: when?/ competition timeline
6: how?/ change levers to make a difference
7: what next?/ outcomes
8: contact

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international design competition: playable 2010 (continued)

0: playable 2010

International Design Competition: Playable 2010 invites designers of all types from around the world to design playground equipment and spaces that will give a sense of place, wonder and fun so strong that they will entice children outdoors to play. Winners will be selected by a diverse jury that will be announced in early 2010.

1: why?

Children's health is suffering because the appeal of sitting in front of an electronic screen is winning out over getting outside to play. Conditions such as childhood obesity, diabetes, ADHD, and vitamin D deficiencies (and many others) are on the increase, but their symptoms are lessened and sometimes eliminated by regular outdoor play. The problem is that many playgrounds are without challenges and look the same as every other playground and so a child’s excitement is soon lost, if they even go out there in the first place. Another problem is that manufactured playgrounds can be too expensive for some communities so their children do without. We think there are options for everyone to "win" in this game by building their own play areas with easily found materials, incorporating manufactured equipment in creative ways, building play areas different from any we have ever seen before, and even building a fort in your own backyard.

The idea for Playable 2010 came from the highly successful 1954 Playable Sculpture Competition put on by the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

2: who?

Georgia Tech and the Atlanta Taskforce on Play (ATOP) are organizing the Playable 2010 competition in a belief that the talent is out there to find the answers to the challenges presented. We want this to be wide open to creative people young and old because great ideas can come from the most interesting places. We are presently looking for sponsors and supporters. ATOP is a 501(C)3 through our fiscal partnership with Park Pride.

3: what?

The categories in the competition are:
a.) Playable Art
b.) Playable Sites
c..) Playable D-I-Y Spaces
d.) Playable Kids

The competition will culminate in a conference on designing for play at Georgia Tech. The winners of the competition will be announced at that time. The winning and semi-finalist designs will be on exhibit at Georgia Tech and will then travel to other sites.

4: where?

The competition will be held online. Details will follow in early 2010 before the March launch.

The winning site-specific playgrounds will be built at the following sites:
a. One or two winning playspaces built on Atlanta’s Beltline
b. One (1) winning playspace built in Woodruff Park in downtown Atlanta
c. Potentially one (1) winning playspace built at Camp Twin Lakes at Will-A-Way (a camp for sick children) outside of Atlanta

5: when?

December 16, 2009 ----- PlayableKids competition launches
February 26, 2010--------deadline for children’s entries
March 10-13 --------------- children’s work on exhibit at the international conference for
The Association for the Study of Play (TASP) and The American
Association for the Child’s Right to Play (IPA/USA).
March 13 ------------------ children’s drawings presented at conference and online
March 15-------------------grown-up competition launches
October 1 ------------------deadline for entries; 5PM EST
November 11-13 -------- winners announced at conference on designing for play at Georgia Tech

6: how?

How will this competition make a difference? A report from McKinsey & Co. (“And the Winner Is…” 2009) states that prizes such as this competition achieve the changes sought in as many as seven different ways: by identifying excellence, influencing public perception, focusing communities on specific problems, mobilizing new talent, strengthening problem-solving communities, educating individuals, and mobilizing capital. Utilizing these change levers could ultimately lead to a change for the better in our children’s health.

How will you enter? Details will follow at the beginning of 2010.

7: what’s next?

Details on the grown-up competition will be available in early 2010, before the March 15, 2010 launch.
Information on prizes (in addition to built sites) available before launch.

8: contact

For information on sponsoring the competition and/or prizes please contact:
Cynthia Gentry
Founding Director
Atlanta Taskforce on Play (ATOP)
cynthia (at) PlayAtlanta.org
404.200.0170