National Garden: A dreamy playground in the heart of Athens

The city of Athens is changing, and improving every day, something that even the young citizens of the capital who are looking for places to play are now noticing. The Municipality of Athens has completely renovated the playground of the National Garden, covering an area of 2.5 acres, enabling Lilliputian visitors to have fun with their soul with greater safety and more choices of games, in a wonderful environment in the heart of Athens.

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National Garden Playground: A model of Εnvironmental Μanagement

This playground is a model of environmental management for all modern playgrounds. Each of the play instruments was designed and constructed in order to be functionally and aesthetically integrated into the National Garden and was implemented within the framework of the program "Adopt your City" of the Municipality of Athens, with a donation by the Non-Profit organization of Cultural and Public Benefit Project AEGEAS, by Athanasios and Marina Martinou.

Kostas Bakogiannis - Municipality of Athens — "The new playground of the National Garden is a model and a challenge for all of us", notes Kostas Bakogiannis

As the Mayor of Athens, Kostas Bakogiannis, characteristically stressed "The new playground of the National Garden is dreamy, unique, a model and challenge for all of us, as we plan for the future of the children in Athens. We are grateful for the valuable and generous support of Thanasis and Marina Martinou, not only for creating an innovative and safe play area in the city but also for managing to preserve the unique character of the National Garden."

National Garden Playground: The facility was created with natural materials

The playground instruments are mainly made of natural wood, in order to harmonize with the intense natural element of the space and contribute to the cultivation of children's environmental consciousness. The impact-absorbing coatings are made of natural, loose materials, while the soil is suitable for absorbing surface water.

The playground has been created according to the standards of sustainable design. The area is surrounded by tall trees, mainly pines, the foliage of which starts at a great height and acts as a natural shelter, while the main features are the earthy feeling of sloping relief.

The south side of the playground is an extension of the hill with the "Amalia Rock". It is the point where a small hill is created from horizontally placed tree trunks, one meter high, which refers to the observatory of the Rock, enriching the action in space.

The three play sections of the playground of the National Garden

The playground essentially consists of three sections:

The first is aimed at preschool children. It grows in four pits, on gently sloping soil. It has functions of swinging, role-playing, sliding, climbing and balancing, oscillating, bouncing, and sensory play with natural materials such as water and sand. There are two two-seater swings for preschool and school children, the first pit. In the second trench, there is a complex construction with a platform on which are placed perimeter houses of various sizes, a slide, a balance bridge with suspended footsteps, and a ramp for children with disabilities, through which the equipment is also used by children with wheelchairs. In the third pit, there are located functions for playing with natural materials, a construction site for transporting sand, and construction with water transport channels. The fourth trench is mounted with a complex structure in the form of a bird with a slide and climbing structures. Finally, in the perimeter area, there are scattered oscillation and bounce equipment.

The second game unit is developed in the central zone and is addressed to preschool, school-age children, and adolescents. It includes role-playing, swinging, sliding, climbing, balance, oscillating, and spinning modes. The basic pit includes a complex pyramid structure that is a world standard, with two levels and two slides with varying degrees of difficulty, two swings, oscillation tunnels, oscillating and rotating elements, and various climbing structures. This construction will be visible from the plateau outside the playground. On the hill, there is a castle-like construction with climbing and tunnel slides, while alternatively the descent can be done from a slide suitable for preschool children.

The third play section is developed along the east side in two trenches for preschool and school-age children with rotation and swing functions. It includes a swing with a "nest" type seat and an unconventional spin mill.