Science Inside Out
Where Limitations Became Inspiration
How are discoveries born?Often in the same way children imagine impossible things — by refusing to accept limitations.
Science Inside Out playground was conceived as a space dedicated to curiosity, imagination, and the moment when an abstract idea begins to feel possible. The project explores how scientific thinking can become physical experience rather than information displayed on a wall.
The playground draws inspiration from Armenian scientists and inventors whose discoveries are used throughout the world — from color television to astrophysics. For Armenia, this has special meaning: despite its small size, Armenian scientists made discoveries that influenced global communication, computing, physics, and space exploration. One of the ambitions of the project was to transform this legacy into a living public environment capable of inspiring children through direct interaction rather than instruction.

Urban Context

The playground occupies a compact 675 m² site within one of the busiest public corridors in central Yerevan. The site functions as both neighborhood infrastructure and tourist corridor. Instead of spreading horizontally, the playground grows vertically — creating a strong urban presence while keeping the ground level open and accessible.

The Vertical Journey

At the center of the playground stands Yerevan’s first three-level vertical play tower. The structure rises 6 meters above the park and is crowned by a spiral slide — the tallest public playground slide in the city.
The tower is conceived not simply as a play structure, but as a gradual ascent through increasingly complex layers of scientific thought.
The lower levels incorporate hammocks, rope obstacle courses, and suspended spherical climbing elements inspired by atomic particles and invisible physical movement. Here, children test balance, coordination, instability, and interaction through motion.
The second level introduces a suspended rope floor with a rigid metal core, creating a constantly shifting walking surface that challenges spatial awareness and movement.
The highest level shifts toward cosmology and observation.
Children can look through a kaleidoscopic telescope, observe the city from above, or descend through the spiral stainless steel slide wrapping around the tower in a 270-degree rotation.
Vertical supports are formed from 108 mm steel tubes connected through lighter circular rings, while integrated LED strips embedded along all twelve vertical columns transform the tower into a luminous landmark after sunset.

Science as Physical Experience

Throughout the playground, scientific principles are translated into immersive play experiences. Rather than reading information, children test ideas through movement, touch, experimentation, and interaction.
Different zones reinterpret discoveries made by Armenian scientists:
a rotational carousel inspired by brushless synchro systems allows children to experiment with directional movement and signal transfer
trampoline zones reinterpret lunar gravity and suspension, referencing lunar rover engineering and space exploration
tactile translation games introduce the principles of machine translation across Armenian, English, and French
One of the central interactive installations references the invention of color television by Hovannes Adamian. Large illuminated swings are divided into red, green, blue, and white zones inspired by RGB color systems. As children swing, changing lights send “signals” to a giant playable television where they can imagine themselves as astronauts, musicians, inventors, or broadcasters.

The landscape strategy is also embedded within the scientific narrative.
All existing trees on site were preserved, and the layout was developed around their protection. The central flower bed references the Takhtajan system of botanical classification — phylogenetic systems for flowering plants. Species were selected not only for ecological adaptation, but also to communicate relationships within the evolution of plant life.

Accessibility and Inclusion

All entrances are designed as ramps, allowing barrier-free movement through the site. Surfaces combine compacted marble aggregate and recycled EPDM, creating tactile diversity and accessible circulation. Balance-based, sensory, tactile, and cognitive play elements are distributed across the environment.
The project turns scientific ideas into physical play, encouraging curiosity, experimentation, and imagination. It reimagines public space not just as infrastructure, but as a place that can inspire ambition and new ideas.

Client: Keron Development Foundation in cooperation with the Kentron Administrative District and Paper Yerevan.
Construction: DSVent.
Photos: Samvel Vanoyan, Liana & Vlad @maga_vladmaga, Kate Suvorova

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