Abstract
This research investigates the recent history (post-1945) of playgrounds: their design, their day-to-day existence, the infrastructures that supported them, and the communities they fostered. Based on extensive archival research it will draw on: accounts of playground campaigns; architectural plans for playgrounds; photographic records of the building of playgrounds and of play activities; diaries of playground leaders; and the ephemera of leaflets, posters and DIY instructions that constitute a dynamic aspect of playground culture. The research is particularly interested in how informal and formal infrastructures develop to sustain playground culture: instructions for the training of playground leaders; international associations for playground advocacy; self-help playground literature; and a promotional literature for specific playgrounds. These infrastructures aren’t simply offering practical support: they are also offering a world of care and concern – an infrastructure of feeling.
Presenters
Ben HighmoreProfessor of Cultural Studies, School of Media, Arts and Humanities, University of Sussex UK, United Kingdom
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
2022 Special Focus—Constructing New Environments for Living, Work and Play
KEYWORDS
Participatory Design, Play, Environmentalism, Recreation, Parks
Digital Media
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