Water Play: Communal Water Features As Sites Of Experiential Learning

The Shipyards - a site of gathering and communal play. During the winter, the grounds are converted into a skating rink for all to enjoy.

For many of us, some of the fondest childhood moments revolve around spending time playing with friends and family. It is well documented that the broad range of activities that encompass play-time are essential to children’s growth and well-being. Through play, the world opens up, imaginations come to life, and children grow physically, cognitively, and emotionally.

Community spaces are often designed to facilitate and encourage this experiential learning process. Globally, playgrounds and parks dot cityscapes and bring joy to their resident communities as a shared leisure space, where structures like jungle gyms and architectural water features commonly serve as the focal point for inspired play.

Where water is involved, these projects generally aim to blend the aesthetic appeal of traditional features with practical elements that may be found at water-themed amusement parks. One of the most common varieties of play-oriented water features is known as a splash pad.

Our Harbour Green Park splash pad in full glory.

Splash pads typically consist of recreation areas with interactive water elements and an active drainage system that prevents water from pooling. A standard pad contains jets and fountains of water that operate using timers or motion activated sensors. The fact that they do not carry standing water like traditional pools makes them significantly safer for children, and also omits the necessity of a lifeguard’s presence.

In addition to these basic elements, designers often integrate light fixtures, colourful sculptures, and audio components. A particularly creative example of the latter can be found at Ontario’s Science Center, which boasts a hydraulophone, an instrument that allows players to manipulate small water jets in order to produce sound.

Hydraulophones combine water play with creative freedom in order to produce a unique experience.

The Shipyards project in North Vancouver, British Columbia, which Vincent Helton helped design, captures all of these attributes within its 8,000 square foot radius. The Shipyards Splash Park boasts a variety of interactive waterfalls, fountains, and brightly painted mounds, and can even be converted into a skating rink during the Winter.

In close proximity sits another, more subtle feature – Foot of Lonsdale. Winner of the 2019 Canadian Society of Landscape Architects Award of Excellence, this feature stands in stark contrast to its sister project. The design is relatively simple: sheets of water move down a slight incline that is broken apart by narrow stone terraces, producing a shimmering effect. Children and adults alike are able to wade and splash in this miniature cascade, evidence that not all water play structures require exuberant designs to create a playful atmosphere and attract a lively audience.

Foot of Lonsdale uses terraced stones on a slight incline to create a stunning ripple effect.

For developing bodies and minds, the benefits of water play are numerous, and include socialization with others, motor skill development, and relaxation in a tranquil, outdoor setting. Being immersed in, and surrounded by, a new element is a powerful learning experience that can shape lives for years to come. This impact makes community water feature projects particularly valued pages in many designers’ portfolios, and ones that are best approached with our inner child in mind.