Cleveland Metroparks Zoo Nature Playscape

KGK was selected to join a team of consultants to design and build a space with the goal of creating an inviting nature-scape to encourage children of all ages to take part in unstructured nature play. The completed Nature Discovery Ridge is composed of a series of interactive areas connected by an accessible, winding walkway where visitors can explore and learn about the natural elements that surround them. Live edge wood and barnstone benches can be found throughout the space allowing parents to enjoy a moment of rest while little ones explore their surroundings. A series of willow tunnels and structures beg visitors to hide, climb, and run around the boundaries of the play space. Within the water course, sandstone and limestone are layered to resemble a natural streambed where visitors are encouraged to redirect running water from old-fashioned water pumps throughout the space. Sandstone boulder outcroppings throughout the space invite explorers to scramble and climb to find other features, such as the outdoor kitchen, the miniature wetland, and the native plantings incorporated throughout