Noguchi Playscape
Most art is not meant to be touched. But what if that work of modernist art is a playground?
Completed in 1976 in Atlanta’s Piedmont Park, Playscape was created by Japanese-American sculptor Isamu Noguchi as part of the city’s “Art in the Park” bicentennial event. The work was Noguchi’s only playground built during his lifetime. It features sharply angled swing sets and minimalist monkey bars, as well as ultra-simplified teeter-totters and a tall, spaceship-like slide — all utilizing simple shapes and primary colors.
Decades of rough use, neglected maintenance and vandalism left the playground in poor shape. At the request of the City of Atlanta, Department of Parks, Recreation & Cultural Affairs, JBC performed a conditions assessment and developed prioritized repair recommendations for the metal, wood, and concrete elements.
