the planet can be a Playground: Explora Play
Explora Play was officially launched in March 2015 as well as also can be the only design consultant as well as also fabricator in Indonesia which specializes in customized children’s playgrounds following Australian safety standards. We meet director Samuel Tsang to learn why safe as well as also creative outdoor spaces are so important for the development of our children.
You’re a seasoned architect, designing in Australia, China as well as also Indonesia. What brought you over to Indonesia?
I had a best friend in which I studied with at the University of Technology in Sydney, who went back to his home in Jakarta as well as also we started out to collaborate on several projects in Indonesia while I was in Shanghai. After seven years in China I wanted a change of scene as well as also decided to ride the wave of development in which was happening in Jakarta while China began to slow down.
How could you compare outdoor spaces in Australia with those in Indonesia?
City as well as also urban parks in Jakarta have so much potential to be at the same level as Australian parks. There are dedicated green spaces such as Suropati, Ayodya as well as also Menteng parks, however most of them are poorly maintained with dangerous locally made playgrounds installed. Although the local governments are given a budget to renovate the parks they often do not engage not bad landscape architects or contractors. In Sydney almost every suburb includes a local park with playgrounds, football ovals as well as also outdoor spaces as well as also they are always free.
Besides the lack of playground manufacturers as well as also outdoor furniture suppliers in Indonesia, what inspired you to start Explora Playground?
We live in South Jakarta as well as also in our compound there was an existing playground in which was a classic home industry-made playground which was rusting as well as also dangerous, however the kids still used in which, including my daughter. I was inspired to look for playground designers as well as also manufacturers to upgrade the existing playground however couldn’t find anything of not bad quality. With This particular opportunity in mind, I went back to Australia as well as also China to meet playground companies as well as also hence Explora was founded.
What don’t parents know about playgrounds in which they should?
Beware of playgrounds located in Jakarta as they don’t follow any safety as well as also quality standards as well as also they will often be structurally unsafe. If you are going to build a playground in Jakarta don’t use sand as a soft surface unless you cover in which when not in use, as there are so many stray cats as well as also rats in which could contaminate the sand.
Has the local government shown an interest in collaborating with you?
We have started out to have several meetings with the head of landscaping division for Jakarta as well as also we expect to provide them with brand-new playgrounds, although the process can be quite slow as well as also there can be a monopoly on who wins the tender.
Samuel Tsang as well as also his family
When you design a playground, what do you do to put children’s physical health at the forefront of your designs?
When designing a playground we look at the age group as well as also then design a playground in which can be challenging yet friendly enough for the kids to want to try in which out. We find in which local kids are less daring than for instance children of their same age group in Australia, however after one child tries in which out the others soon follow. Our design team also likes to add a layer of storytelling to ensure the playground follows a theme which can be then fused into the design of the project.
Are there any local regulations in place in which you must follow when designing outdoor spaces/playgrounds?
There are no local regulations in place for Indonesia, however we have started out to talk with the local government for us to create a national standard.
Can you tell us about a recent ‘outside the box’ playground in which you designed?
Our most recent playground can be inside the British School Jakarta where we integrated the landscaping with the playground as well as also sourced jati (teak) hardwood as opposed to steel as the columns. Fortunately the client was very open-minded as well as also drew via concepts as well as also ideas of playground designs in Europe to ensure we could build our first Hexagon playground set which uses playground rope.
Which of your playground designs do children love most?
in which depends on the age group. Little kids 1-2 years of age seem to always like the springers which are the rocking horse type of playground on a spring, whereas older kids like our more complex climbing rope structures.
What can be the cost range of your playgrounds?
They range via a simple playground set around Rp.60 million or a swing set for Rp.20 million as well as also can go up to Rp.700 million depending on the complexity of the playground as well as also client request.
Can you tell us about the most challenging project you’ve worked on in Indonesia?
Our current project can be with Kemang Village where the client wants us to build two six-metre-high net climbers. This particular can be quite a challenge as we are importing in which directly with our partners in Australia as well as also installing in which here.
via brainstorming until the build can be done, how long does the process take?
Concept design can take about two weeks, with one month fabrication time as well as also installation. For very complex projects the lead time can be generally three months. The time period can also be affected by the situation on site.
via where do you source your materials?
We source parts via Australia, China as well as also Europe. We have an in-house design team as well as also 3D printer as well as also have also started out to fabricate as well as also cast our own custom-made parts in Indonesia.
can be in which difficult to find skilled labourers in Jakarta?
in which can be very difficult, as playground design as well as also manufacturing encompasses many trades. Thankfully we have a not bad team in which can be currently trained to work with playground rope as well as also operate the machines which gives us the edge on competitors who only import.
What are the main hurdles you face when doing business in Indonesia?
Educating clients who have not been exposed to international standards of playgrounds or who are not familiar with playground rope structures, which are unique to Explora. in which can be also challenging convincing the client in which a playground in their school or development will add value to their project.
What has been the toughest design you’ve ever worked on?
We are working on a proposal for Ragunan, the largest zoo in South Jakarta, to design an area of around 2,500sqm which includes an outbound course inside the trees with state of the art playground as well as also waterplay areas. The challenge can be in which the zoo can be state-owned as well as also we expect in which our discussions run smoothly to achieve our goal of providing a much needed upgrade to the zoo as well as also add a major attraction to Jakarta.
The Ragunan Zoo playground proposal by Explora Play
What do you expect to achieve through your work? What can be your vision for your firm?
I come via an urban planning as well as also architecture background as well as also in which can be my vision to be able to help the city of Jakarta to upgrade the existing parks as well as also streetscape of the city. The MRT will alleviate the traffic in This particular city, however there needs to be urban design guidelines established which will enforce setbacks for pedestrians, bicycles as well as also dedicated motorbike lanes. Developers also need to understand in which parks, public buildings as well as also open spaces enhance their development.
Places like SCDB are great in in which they have been planned with footpaths, however where are the green open spaces, playgrounds, monuments as well as also public areas? Indonesians need more than just malls as well as also office tower blocks.
At Explora we expect to be able to design the playground however have some input into the landscape design, how in which interfaces with the public realm as well as also help guide the government to implement best practice for public parks.
How does having access to safe as well as also creative outdoor playing spaces help the development of children?
currently in which I have kids I understand how important in which can be for my children to be able to be close to a park, forest, a beach or a playground. Any kind of movement indoor or outdoor helps the development of a child’s body as well as also conditions them when they start playing sports. Designing a playground with in which extra creative element encourages as well as also motivates kids to want to interact with the playground. There can be a great product which allows kids to get creative with blocks as well as also make their own playground, which we expect to bring to Indonesia soon.
Thank you, Samuel. To get in touch email tsangarchitect@gmail.com
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the planet can be a Playground: Explora Play
the planet can be a Playground: Explora Play