Grounds for Play

Grounds for Play is a thesis project proposing a design for a playfully activated path along the Emmett/Ivy corridor at the University of Virginia. Amidst the current mental health crisis and rising levels of student isolation, many universities across the country are exploring ways to provide playful, restorative, and communal spaces on their campuses. Stemming from research in the fields of history, theory, psychology, urban studies, and design on the role of play in society and the built environment—not just for children but for people of all ages—this thesis presents a contemporary speculation on a play-informed design strategy expanding beyond the typical boundaries of the playground or game-room for a site well-suited to playful, human-scale intervention.

The thesis investigates two main questions: How can we reframe our social understanding of play to allow adults the same freedom of play that is afforded to children? And how can we use play as a strategy to re-imagine the modern university quad?

This thesis begins by establishing a design methodology derived from the research, prompting new forms which break away from the preconceived typological elements that have come to define society’s spatial understanding of play. It then applies this investigation to a design strategy within the university landscape. . This project seeks to expand the boundaries of what an activated, communal space can be – by setting the ground for play.