Kids Together Playground (KTP) is a universally designed, family-focused urban landscape demonstrating how success can emerge when values and goals of stakeholders and designers coincide, including design participation of children. On-going success is further supported by collaborative governance of KTP by the nonprofit, Kids Together, and the Town of Cary. The universal design / inclusion principles framing KTP, which grew out of the 1980’s accessibility rights movement, were defined by architect Ron Mace (himself a wheelchair user), as including disabilities and all human needs – for NLI, underscoring all peoples. The need for research covering all types of populations and environments, including urban parks, was emphasized by a 2003 gathering of universal design experts. A post-occupancy evaluation (POE) of KTP conducted by NLI, including on-site observations of individuals with special needs, was published in 2007. Download here for the full story and references.

Resources:

Kids Together Playground:

Talking Bench

Catch the Chair

Up the Stairs

Up Into the Structure

Across the Bridge

Down the Slide