Graduation Project: Inclusive Playground Design
For my graduation project, my focus was to create a design that helps people with physical disabilities. I began by conducting extensive research and interviews to understand user needs, which helped shape the concept of an inclusive playground. Meeting these individuals early on was a key part of the process, and their input guided my design decisions. I then moved forward with sketching, 3D modeling, and rendering the final shots.
​Although I’ve shifted away from public design, this project holds special meaning because of the great people I met. Seeing their reactions to the final design and hearing how much it would benefit them was a highlight. The connections made through this project made it a truly rewarding milestone in my design journey.
Primary Research Phase
For my primary research, I used field visits, interviews, and observations to understand the needs of individuals with physical disabilities. Field visits helped identify existing design gaps, interviews provided personal insights, and observations offered real-time perspectives on interactions with current facilities. This approach ensured that the inclusive playground design was both user-centered and practical.
Field Visit 1
Educare Foundation For Disabled Children
- All children in the foundation are diagnosed with Cerebral
Palsy (CP)
- The foundation offers a variety of 3 programs, physiotherapy, Speech Therapy and Behavioural Therapy
Field Visit 2
Alexandria's First Playground for physically disabled kids
Interviews
Several Interviews were conducted with parents, teachers, children and disabled adults.
1. Parents Interview Questions
1. What challenges do you face as a parent of a disabled kid?
2. What type of disability does you kid have? Are they mentally affected?
3. What is your kid's upper body and arm's capabilities?
4. Does he/she have friends with normal abilities?
5. Does your kid have siblings? How is their relationship in terms of playtime?
6. How does being physically disabled affect your kid psychologically?
7. How does lack of playtime affect your kid psychologically?
8. What attracts your kid the most in terms of entertainment and playtime?
9. What kinds of activities do they do? (indoor and outdoor)
10. How do you deal with inaccessible public spaces ex. malls, playground?
11. What adjustments to regular playgrounds would make it better for your kid to enjoy?
12. If your kid was to go to an accessible playground, would you prefer the presence of other kids with normal abilities there?
2. Teachers Interview Questions
1. What types of disabilities do the kids have? Are they mentally affected?
2. What are the kids' upper body and arm capabilities?
3. How does being physically disabled affect the children psychologically?
4. How do you think lack of playtime affects children?
5. Do they go to normal schools?
6. How is the social aspect of the children with other kids? Do the kids have friends with normal abilities?
7. What attracts the kids in terms of playtime and entertainment?
8. What helps the children stay focused?
9.. What kinds of activities do they do? (indoor and outdoor)
10. Are most activities individual, pairs or groups?
11. Do you have any equipment or spaces specialized for disabled kids?
12. What difficulties do you face as a teacher for physically disabled kids?
3. Children Interview Questions
1. Do you like playing with other kids? Do you have close friends?
2. What activities do you enjoy doing?
3. What challenges do you face in playgrounds?
4. Do you have siblings? what do you like to do together?
5. What equipment in the playground would you have loved to use? why?
6. Describe your dream playground
4. Disabled Adults Interview Questions
1. What difficulties do you face being disabled in Egypt?
2. How do you deal with inaccessible spaces?
3. How did you feel about playgrounds as a child?
4. What activities do you wish were accessible when you were younger?
5. How did you find playing with other kids and making friends whe you were younger?
6. Do you have siblings? How was your playtime together?
7. What public element do you find challenging in terms of wheelchair mobility? (ex, grass, sand, etc)
8. How did lack of playtime in playgrounds affect you childhood psychologically?
9. Which do you find preferable and why: an inclusive playground for all or a playground specialized for disabled kids only?
10. What adjustments to regular playgrounds would make it better for disabled kids to enjoy? (ex floor materials, equipment and games,etc.) of other kids with normal abilities there?
Primary Research Key Insights
After conducting primary research, the key insights include:
- An inclusive playground, where everyone can play is better than a playground for disabled kids only.
- A lot of common disabilities do not affect upper body capabilities.
- Safety is the number one concern for parents when it comes to playgrounds.
- Children enjoy having spacious areas to come up with play ideas and mostly enjoy role play.
- Children like socializing with other normally abled kids.
- Children want be able to use the slides and trampolines most.
Design Phase: A Playground For All
