The Ribbon Playground has revitalized central Sydney’s connection to its iconic waterfront, creating an exciting and freely accessible destination for children and young people. Its opening marked the culmination of 12 years of design and collaboration with stakeholders. This high-impact harbourfront play space replaces a tired and nondescript area, now attracting families from across Sydney and the globe as a truly public destination.
This project builds upon the award-winning playground at Darling Quarter, which set a new benchmark in 2011 with its interactive water play space. The concept of providing such a generous offering to Sydney’s children (and consequently their parents) was groundbreaking. Our key challenge, therefore, was to extend this space with a fresh yet sympathetic approach, offering an equally high-impact but distinct play experience. Working closely with Placemaking NSW, we chose to focus on a greener, more discovery-oriented experience. This involved embedding physical challenges for various ages and abilities within a bespoke and artful structure that reveals the site’s history and incorporates interpretive elements to cultivate curiosity.
The 2,000sqm new play space references the former water and wharf landscape, comprising a quieter ‘Bay space’ and a more adventurous ‘Wave Space’.
‘The Bay’ is defined by planting and generally suited to smaller, less mobile, or more contemplative children. Immersed in greenery, it features balance elements, climbing nets, rolling decks, and a cubby. A woven series of decks and nets forms a small amphitheatre, hugging the ‘beach’ zone where parents and carers can comfortably sit at the edge of play elements. The existing heritage carousel, too delicate to relocate, serves as a focal point, enhanced by music and movement. Embedded stories and a lookout cubby invite curiosity and imaginative play.
‘The Wave’ offers a progression of challenges, culminating in a 7m high perch and spiral slide. Wonky decks and rigging provide multiple routes to ascend. The spaces beneath the decks offer calmer areas for groups to gather or for smaller children to play safely. The triangulated form embraces the harbour vista, creating an excellent spot for people-watching.
Ample tables and chairs are provided throughout, encouraging families and friends to gather and spend the day.
Resolving this complex structure required numerous hand sketches and physical models to test ideas, forms, and junctions. We produced a detailed 3D model of the entire site, with the refined playground portion serving as the basis for the engineering work on the climbing structures, coordinated by Tilt and Partridge. Regular workshops ensured the design intent was maintained through sketches and models of the overall form and detailed connections exchanged over many months.
ASPECT Studios integrated graphics to illustrate the natural environment, including local fish described in text, cloud formations, and wind indicators using the poetic Beaufort Scale. These cues aim to inspire curiosity and conversation. This ‘seek and find’ experience encourages children to discover the many hidden pieces of information throughout the play space and complete the puzzle.
The playground’s siting presented challenges due to overhead shade structures, freeways, subsurface services, and construction on mostly fill. Careful coordination of structural and civil works, along with the precise placement of major elements, resulted in a relatively seamless execution. Steel columns rest on buried raft slabs to minimize piling, and the triangulated form provides inherent stability.
As one of the studio’s longest-running projects (12 years), the play space evolved through various iterations in response to changes in ownership, clients, builders, and multiple team members from what is now Placemaking NSW. Our commitment to a clear vision enabled us to persevere through these changes, consistently focusing on the best outcome for the site.
No-fines concrete is used under the soft-fall surfaces to allow significant water infiltration. Robust planting, suited to the varied site conditions, creates a sense of immersion, with native plants prioritised where possible. FSC-certified Australian hardwood is featured.
Following a lengthy process the play space (and adjacent landscape) was constructed by Multiplex and Landscape Solutions under a tight timeframe that demanded regular site visits, rapid responses, and meticulous attention to detail.
The playground’s significant challenges, artful form, and interpretive overlays create a memorable and site-specific welcome to the waterfront location. Its success is evident in the lively chatter and joyful sounds that now fill the space.
• Other credits:
Greaton (Client/ Project Developer)
Multiplex (Head Contractor)
Landscape Solutions (Landscape Contractor)
Electrolight (Lighting Design)
Bonacci (Services Coordination)
Partridge (Playground Structure)
Tilt (Industrial Design)
