Pound’s Park has brought play, nature and new opportunities for people to spend time together into the heart of Sheffield city centre. But what can a well-designed play space contribute to a city beyond the play itself?

In this episode, Beth Cooper is joined by Professor Helen Woolley, Head of the School of Architecture and Landscape at the University of Sheffield, to explore the relationship between play, landscape and public life.

From coining the influential term Kit, Fence, Carpet (KFC) to helping embed landscape design into Timberplay, Helen reflects on the limitations of conventional playgrounds and the opportunities created by more natural, varied and challenging environments. Together, they explore what it means to design places around people, why children’s voices need to be heard, and how play can become part of everyday urban life rather than something confined to designated spaces.

The conversation also draws on Helen’s research into children’s play in very different contexts, including post-disaster Japan, before returning to Pound’s Park and what its use reveals about the role of play in a changing city centre.

Whether you’re involved in landscape architecture, placemaking, public policy or play, this episode offers a thought-provoking look at how we create places that welcome children and make room for play.

What else you’ll hear:

• How the Kit, Fence, Carpet model came about, and why Helen began questioning the play value of conventional playgrounds.
• What children’s use of skateboards and public spaces reveals about how we design cities.
• The lessons Helen learned from observing children’s play following the disaster in Japan.
• Why time, space and the support of playworkers were vital to children’s opportunities to play.
• What surprised Helen about the number of adults using Pound’s Park.
• How landscape, levels, seating and varied play opportunities can support inclusion, challenge and social connection.
• Why risk, nature and children’s freedom to explore deserve greater consideration in public space.

Find out more:

University of Sheffield – Helen Woolley

Play Attention is a podcast from Timberplay - exploring the thinkers, designers and changemakers shaping the future of play.

Hosted by Beth Cooper, Independent Play Consultant.

Theme music by Dave Mullen Jnr

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