An EDLA Study Series | Part 4: Microclimate & Play

As our climate changes, the way we design play spaces needs to consider more than equipment, safety and accessibility. Shade, planting and thermal comfort are increasingly important to how these spaces perform.

In the fourth instalment of our Netherlands study series, Chris Robertshaw reflects on the Canopy Walk play space in Amsterdam’s Vondelpark, where play equipment is integrated within an established tree canopy.

The result is a play environment where trees and landscape contribute directly to the experience, providing shade, moderating temperatures and supporting year-round use.

Chris explores what the UK can learn from this landscape-led approach, and why microclimate should be considered from the earliest stages of play space design.

Read Chris’s full article below.

Landscape Perspectives | Amsterdam & The Hague | Part 4: Microclimate & Play