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Background
Five terraced houses in Barrow-in-Furness had previously occupied a now-empty open site. Local residents were asked how they would like to see the area used, and unanimously supported the need for a children's area.
Situation
The brief given to Steve Kyle of Capita Symonds was to design an area that would allow young children to play in a safe environment, while their parents could sit and watch. It also stipulated that no playground equipment was to be included, as it was thought this would be prone to vandalism and encourage older children to congregate, negating the very purpose for the playground. |
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Why Sureset?
Converting the design into reality led Steve Kyle to consider many options, including block paving that would be cut to produce the desired designs, and coloured sea-washed cobbles set in concrete. It would have been easy to lay a traditional paving surface but, having seen the detail that could be produced with SureSet material, he decided to use it for the entire surface. SureSet can guarantee no loose stones because its resin bound system completely impregnates the raw material and this also influenced its specification. |
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Solution
From the 1000+ SureSet formulations, thirteen colours were selected, these being created from crushed glass, crushed rock, crushed marble, black silica-free slag and crushed granite. The system's use of crystal clear resin enhanced the raw materials, giving a colourful vibrancy to the whole area.
Result
Both the Barrow Borough Council and residents alike have expressed pleasure with the outcome and Steve Kyle himself feels the project has been a great success, transforming a piece of wasteland into a public amenity. The local children find the designs exciting and stimulating and, when viewed from an adjacent bridge, the project is seen as a piece of public art by locals. |
