Case Studies
Timberplay Scotland were honoured to win the prestigious competition to develop the play area at the recently reopened Burrell Collection. Situated outside Glasgow in Pollock Country Park, the gallery comprises a prestigious collection of 9,000 objects including paintings, sculptures and tapestries, which were gifted to the people of Glasgow by renowned art collector, William Burrell.
The competition for the new play area was launched as part of the recent restoration of the building and grounds, and Timberplay entered their design concept alongside Glasgow Landscape Architects erz Studio. Mark Grimshaw, Business Development Manager at Timberplay Scotland, details the brief:-
“The managers and stakeholders wanted to increase the appeal of the site to children and families, and identified play as a key way by which to increase dwell time. One of the biggest challenges to overcome was the height restriction of the scheme, which was limited to just 90cm. Timberplay love to work within tight parameters however, so were pleased to apply our creativity to this brief and we very pleased with the concept we came up with alongside Felicity and the team at erz Studio.
The overall concept capitalises on the escape of the creatures that can be found upon the sculptures and tapestries within the collection. Working in partnership with local artist collective, Sculpture and Design, Timberplay customised many products and also commissioned standalone artwork reflecting the animals within the collection. Due to the height limitations, low level sand play is used heavily across the play area, creating a unique play experience that is proving popular with the Collection’s younger visitors. Supplied by Timberplay Scotland’s partner, AllUrban, circular seating and a linear concrete bench provide design led seating that fit within the space perfectly.
Cameron Gough, Special Projects Officer (Interactives) for the Burrell Renaissance Project says:-
“Working with Timberplay who, alongside ERZ Studio, designed, supplied and fitted a playscape in the grounds outside The Burrell Collection was an absolute joy. Not only did they create a wonderous area where children and adults can explore the outdoors in a safe and fun way, but they did this under tight constraints of working in a complex environment through Covid. We were particularly impressed with build quality, how it beautifully blended into the landscape and most importantly how they understood the target audience