A Courtyard for Children’s Adventures and Quiet Relaxation on Lyotchika Babushkina Street

Client: Moscow Residential Renovation Fund.

Objective: To create a courtyard where children can enjoy active play and adults can spend time outdoors. The design needed to accommodate different activities and separate quiet relaxation from active play.

Solution: The playground centres on the idea of a journey. The play ship sets the theme without prescribing the rules: children invent their own roles, negotiate with one another and develop the story.

The relaxation area forms a distinct part of the courtyard. Loungers offer space to read or recline, while long circular benches accommodate groups. This variety of furniture caters not only to outings with children but also to residents’ other everyday leisure activities.

Result: The courtyard accommodates both family outings and time spent without children. The playground allows children to alternate between physical activity and imaginative play, while the separate seating area invites residents to stay longer to read, socialise or take a quiet break.