Playground without walls will be the last playground ever built in the world.
With no walls, it welcomes everyone.
Rebuild the pillow fort in the living room,
and together, let’s reshape the world.
Building slowly, patiently, we’ll be the last ones done.
Playground without Walls Special Statement:
We haven’t invented anything;
we’re simply uncovering the fire hidden within the stone.
The Playground without Walls project was founded by Becca and Melon in February 2024, conceived during the preparations for the third No-Wall Children’s Art Festival.
Originally, the playground without walls was designed in response to the No-Wall Kindergarten in Haikou, but it has since evolved into an independent, long-term project.
The Playground without Walls is an open-ended, community-powered playground project that blends art with engineering to create sustainable, zero-waste play spaces. Each playground taps into renewable energy and eco-friendly materials, reshaping recreation with an eye on the future. This initiative zeroes in on the unique needs of communities around the world, especially in under-resourced areas, adapting to local landscapes and inviting residents to dive into the design and build process alongside us.
We’re pushing the idea of “Play Power”—a force unleashed by play itself. Through easy modifications, our playgrounds turn the energy kids and adults generate while playing into tangible, usable power. Whether it’s lighting up the space or powering small devices, Play power supports the community in practical and inventive ways. The Playground without walls isn’t just about swings and slides; it’s an open call for connection, creativity, and action—a playground for ideas and possibilities.
What Playground without Walls is Working On:
1. Building Playgrounds Around the World
Together with local community members, we’re creating unique playgrounds worldwide, tailored to each region’s realities.
For example:
a. Urban Village Playground (Completed)
In Binlian New Village, Haikou, we created our first playground featuring six installations: a seesaw-powered Ferris wheel, a comic hamster wheel, a 360-degree space ring, a bike carousel, a rocking horse, and a cardboard castle. Built with gravity and wind as primary driving forces, all installations are designed for flexibility—they can be quickly assembled, disassembled, and transported to adapt to the complex terrain and management conditions of urban villages. Each installation also generates electricity from play-generated energy, powering the local community. This playground setup will serve other urban and rural communities as well.
b. Bird Playground (In Progress, Join Us!)
After Typhoon Capricorn hit Hainan, many birds lost their nests. We’re building a playground for them in the forest, using fallen branches, stones, and other materials birds enjoy, creating spaces based on their natural play behaviors.
2. Creating Fun, Playful Spaces and Hosting Play Activities
a. “King of the Kids Challenge” in Dali (Completed)
We invited people to play the games they were best at as kids.
b. Game Booth in Progress (Join Us!)
We’re setting up a unique booth where passersby can teach us a game they invented, observed, or loved as a child.
c. Flash Mobs on the Streets (In Progress, Join Us!)
We’re planning spontaneous events where we’ll play “invisible” games—imaginary jump ropes, roller coasters, pirate ships—and capture everyone’s reactions.
3. Collecting Unique Play Spaces Around the World
a. Gathering Info on Unique Play Spaces Worldwide
We’re compiling a resource with locations and details about special play spaces globally, such as the Grayson Youth Lab.
b. Community Marking of Play Spaces
Together, we’ll explore and map playgrounds in unexpected spots, whether near home or on the road.
4. Creative Climate Solutions
a. Inventions for Extreme Weather
Recently, Typhoon Capricorn (Category 17) swept through Haikou, and the No-Wall Playground installations survived due to simple engineering tricks. We’re now creating hurricane-resistant door and window systems, aiming to reduce up to Category 20 winds to Category 4 inside buildings.
5. Play Energy
Experimental Energy from Play
Play Energy, the core innovation of No-Wall Playgrounds, turns the energy generated during play into multiple usable forms. By fitting simple generators onto everyday playground equipment like carousels, seesaws, and zip lines, we harness magnetic forces to convert movement into energy.
But Play Energy goes beyond electricity. We’re pushing into new dimensions: this energy can lift water from wells through gravitational potential or, through bouncing and climbing, foster microalgae growth to purify the air. This approach reimagines sustainable energy in a playful, educational way, inviting everyone to join in. It’s a low-carbon ecosystem of fun, a resource-reuse experiment, and a fresh perspective on what playgrounds can offer, merging environmental impact with community creativity to spark something truly crazy.
6. Inventing Toys and Bringing Wild Ideas to Life, Starting with Playgrounds to Shake Things Up
a. Inventing Fun Toys (In Progress, Join Us!)
We’re creating playful, interactive toys inspired by our playgrounds. Imagine a buildable, wooden model of our seesaw-powered Ferris wheel, with added mechanics and lights for hands-on fun.
b. Reimagining Playgrounds, Reimagining the World
If a playground can be reinvented, why not other things too? We’re exploring ways to add a playful twist to life’s ordinary elements, using games to make change while having fun (In Progress).
c. Gathering Crazy Ideas and Making Them Real (In Progress)
We’re collecting everyone’s wildest ideas and figuring out creative ways to bring them to life. Let’s dream big and make it happen—together.
