Visual Assemblies are public spaces for rethinking and redesigning shared environments—hospitals, schools, nursing homes, and playgrounds—exploring how we learn, work, care, and play together. Playgrounds bring communities together, welcoming both locals and newcomers. A network of community-built Playgrounds as Visual Assemblies could foster shared decision-making proccess.
The key element of the project is a polished concrete circle with minimalistic drawings and texts, designed as an open invitation for participants to contribute their own artwork and ideas while rethinking how to organize the public spaces they share.
This minimalist idea can be adapted in any place, creating a collaborative framework where artists, architects, engineers, and local communities—both adults and children—can get together to develope the playground for themselves.
Nika’s initial idea emerged from a workshop held at the Community College of Kingstown, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, in 2024, following the devastation caused by Hurricane Beryl, it features a combination of removable, interchangeable elements such as ropes, planks, and other modular parts, alongside permanent structures designed to withstand future hurricanes: Reinforced poles surrounding the polished concrete circle ensure the structural stability of the movable elements.
The space is designed to be continuously reshaped by its participants, both children and adults. It also invites interventions from other artists, creating an environment that remains in constant transformation and open dialogue.
What can be done with this playground:
Draw, erase, and draw again on the concrete circle, which is decorated with subtle drawings and texts designed as an open invitation for players to create their own drawings and writings.
Hang and attach various elements using ropes and boards to create hammocks, ladders, swings, climbing structures, and other play elements. The design allows for continuous modification, with new pieces being added or existing ones rearranged based on the participants’ ages. Nets can transform into mazes, clusters of hammocks or loungers for rest, or even swings and merry-go-rounds for younger children.
Guest artists can contribute (inspired by Malevich’s idea of “additional elements”) by adding sound installations, botanical gardens, ceramic workshops, piping with fountains, wind-activated sculptures, and other interactive components.
Playground communities are encouraged to co-create and reshape the space by introducing new artistic elements, repainting posts, adding handmade decorations, and add other ideas, many of which were developed by participants in the Saint Vincent workshop — from activities that could help make the playground sustainable, such as creating ceramics with children for sale, to establishing educational classes, a small petting zoo, a plant nursery, and much more..