Play is something that isn’t really seen as a right but more often as a luxury in most places. While of course things like food, shelter, and health are fundamental needs, the opportunity to play is just as essential for the healthy development of a child. It’s through play that children learn to express themselves, interact with others, develop cognitive and physical skills, and navigate the world around them. Unfortunately, public spaces designed specifically with play in mind are still lacking in many cities around the globe. World Play Day, celebrated last June 11, is one such occasion that shines a spotlight on the importance of this often-overlooked right.
In a vibrant and fitting tribute to the day, a huge burger-inspired interactive structure was unveiled in London’s Kensington Gardens, not just as a playful architectural statement, but as a call to action to prioritize fun, imagination, and child-centered design in urban environments. Architect Sir Peter Cook’s Play Pavilion is positioned right next to the elegant and more restrained Serpentine Pavilion by Marina Tabassum. The fun, burger-looking pavilion is funded in partnership with the LEGO Group. Resembling a stacked burger, the structure features an orange cylindrical base beneath a domed roof punctuated by LEGO-like protrusions mimicking ketchup or mustard swirls.
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The public art project invites visitors to interact with it to enable all the creative possibilities of play. It incorporates LEGO bricks in the design with bright ones covering the exterior in sculpted topographic forms. Inside, you get LEGO pillar installations and a central board where you can pin your own bricks and create new shapes. And if you want to exit the structure in the most fun way, there’s a yellow slide for you to, well, slide out of it.
But if you want to explore a bit more, there are wall openings, tunnels, and slides within the pavillon. The roof floats above the base, allowing shafts of light and airflow, while reminiscent of a semi‑theatrical observatory. Visitors can connect with the space both physically and visually. If you’re in London, this exhibit is available until August 10, 2025 at the Kensington Gardens and entrance is free.
Sir Peter Cook’s Play Pavilion is a bold, cheerful counterpoint to the refined architectural landscape of Kensington Gardens this summer. It blends interactive design, colorful exuberance, and a spirit of co‑creation. It reminds visitors, young and old, that play remains a powerful and essential form of public expression.
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