Børnenes Værk
Playground that conveys Frederiksværk's strong industrial history
The playground for Artilleripladsen in Frederiksværk is part of Stålsat By - an urban development project that creates engaging urban spaces, which reflect the city's industrial cultural heritage while adding new opportunities for movement and meeting up.
We won the tender and designed and established the playground. The idea behind the design is for children and adults to play their way through history and learn more about how the city developed - while also having lots of fun.
The square brings life to the city centre around the park. It’s proximity to Arsenalet means the playground can be incorporated in the museum's themes and school service.
What Halsnæs Municipality says
“That Elverdal wanted to incorporate this city’s history has been absolutely fantastic.
The result is a play landscape with a steel works and its own city, which is unique to Frederiksværk. We had a field trip to the steel rolling mill with the design team, which means that even the colour codes in the playground are aligned with Værket. We were able to work flexibly to both maintain and highlight the main story, so that play involves a lot of communication and learning.
The sound in the large 'Roller Wheel' is part of the city's signature sounds. The playground was also set up very quickly. And the result - Just take a look at how the children play. It’s exactly what we hoped for".
Charlotte Scheel
Special consultant, Halsnæs Municipality
Værket
Værket is an icon of Frederiksværk's industrial history – a place of bronze casting, cannon making and a modern steelworks.
While playing on the climbing facility, children can experience some of the methods and casting processes that have been used throughout history.
The climbing facility is made of steel and has lots of play routes that go up, down and around. Climb through the 'oven' up to the high slide or hurtle down the fireman's pole. There are countless play routes that will challenge even the older children.
And anyone can help generate energy in the big roller wheel.
A city founded on water, gunpowder and steel
The playground is designed based on four main elements: Arresø, the canals, industry (Værket) and the city that grew up around the local industry.
In the mini-city, industrial history has been incorporated from the old workshops.
Here children can play at being blacksmiths, climb on the cooper's barrels, take a ride on the carousel that spins like a grindstone in the agate grinder (Agate is a mineral in a crystal structure), or cast cannonballs in the sandpit.
The play zones are linked together by a path that represents the 'Arresø canal', which runs through the square. The canal illustrates how hydropower has helped form the foundation of Frederiksværk's unique history.
We listened to the residents’ ideas and wishes
Frederiksværk's residents were given the opportunity to offer their ideas for the playground from an early stage.
When selecting Elverdal's winning proposal, the jury emphasised how the playground matched the thoughts and ideas of the city's residents. As well as the playground providing great resting and seating areas, its architectural appearance also suits the surroundings.
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