Imagination Playground At the South Street Seaport

Imagination Playground at the South Street Seaport is New York’s latest playground. It opened last week to great fanfare. Designed by David Rockwell, the architect and designer of LA’s Kodak theatre, Rockwell tried to bring about an European sensibility to the design of the playground. There are lots of foam blocks for the kids to play with and build tons of tall structures. See my daughter’s little fort. My daughter loved playing with wheelbarrow wheeling the blocks from one of the playground to out little corner.

There is wonderfully designed water play area and big, beautiful sand box.

At face value, the playground looks great and I am sure that  the kids will have a lot of fun but again the architect and designers just don’t think these things through and I wonder is it because it’s more about the aesthetics which is far sexier than function and practicality.

What I did not like about the Imagination Playground:

• It’s too small – we went on day that it’s overcast and it was crowded. I can only imagine what it’s like when it’s hot out.
• The sandbox – are these people nuts? The playground is near the seaport and what is near the seaport? Rats. And where do rats like to play?  In the sand.
• No trees – why oh,  why are there no trees?
• Not enough seating for caregivers/parents and on top of that there are no umbrellas near the benches
• Bathrooms are lacking – is there only one???