Case Study:
Yorkshire Air Museum
- Installation Date: July 2023
- Client: Yorkshire Air Museum
- Project Type: Destination Play Area
Project Brief
Located on the outskirts of the CIty of York,The Yorkshire Air Museum is one of the UKs largest independent aircraft museums.
Families make up a large proportion of visitor numbers and the team at The Yorkshire Air Museum recognised they needed to create a new, inviting destination play area to provide a suitable and fun environment for all who visit the site. Team Sport & Play Ltd were invited to submit their suggestions and ideas of how to create a new aviation themed destination play area for visiting children and families to enjoy. The museum were keen to create an inclusive and accessible play area that catered for children of all ages and abilities.
Project Outcome
The vision was to create a vibrant and inviting theme for a new destination play area for children up to the age of 12 years of age. The play equipment included would need to capture the essence of the Yorkshire Air Museum and be in-keeping and respectful to the listed Control Tower and other buildings on the site.
The design team at Team Sport & Play carried out a full market comparison of all available options and it soon became clear that, in order to honour the history of the museum, the play area would need a bespoke, focal centre-piece play structure to wow visitors on their arrival. The team set about designing a bespoke Spitfire Multiplay Unit with the aim to increase dwell time in the central area of the site.
The project posed certain challenges relating to the sites history and the constant flow of visitors. It soon became apparent that underground services had been installed without any records of location and depth. Team Sport & Play carried numerous surveys and scans resulting in the need to re-design the original proposal to ensure safety during installation and also allow necessary access to the services in the future.
The finished project has added immense value to the attraction. The new playground facilities provide accessible and inclusive play opportunities for children of all ages and abilities. The bespoke Spitfire Multiplay fits in perfectly within the surroundings and due to the materials and manufacturing specifications, will be enjoyed by children visiting the museum for many years to come.