Client
University Project
We don't stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing, and AO Play strives to unleash this playful side of both children and adults, creating a youthful festival experience. Located at Enterprize Park in Melbourne, AO Play repositions the Australian Open into a fun, playful festival. Featuring an interactive entrance experience, and a playground, AO Play creates a playful, interactive experience engaging for kids.
The entry point is for AO Play is located behind a bridge, allowing visitors to enter away from the busy Flinders St. However, as the entry to the site can be quite hidden behind the train bridges, triangle stickers with arrows amongst the pattern are placed on the footpath around the site to guide visitors to the entrance.
The entrance features a long, tall tunnel made out of scaffolding, that uses coloured sheer curtains to make the entry vibrant, and are cut in a triangle, reflecting the A of the brand mark.
The mini obstacle course consists of a ramp, slide and ball pit, striving to create a smile on the visitor's face before arriving at the festival. Upon entry, visitors are met with large triangular containers that hold the entry wristbands. The wristbands come in three different colours and are fitted with an RFID tag to interact with the festival. These wristbands are made from bamboo and recycled fabric, therefore being sustainable. Once through the barrier, visitors need to climb up the netted slope, and then slide down into the ball pit to reach the exit. The exit features a ball pit that visitors need to crawl through to exit the space.
Festival Entrance
The entry to AO Play is an experience, featuring a mini obstacle course for both the children and adults to complete to enter the festival.
AO Play Playground
The AO Play Playground features a playground designed for kids that is shaped as an 'A' and 'O' to represent the Australian Open. The playground features different entry and exit points, as well as interactive activities inside to provide entertainment for kids and engaging them within the tennis experience.
Focused on creating a playground with netting to link the experience back to tennis, the playground will be multi-levelled, where the kids can see the other kids above and below. The 'A' and 'O' shapes are the most noticeable from above, and as this faces upwards, passengers on the train travelling on the nearby train bridges will be able to see this, therefore encouraging them to come and experience the fun.
The entrance of the playground features simple graphics and an arrow to identify the entry points. The frame of the playground is constructed from scaffolding and is painted in vibrant colours to make the playground fun and playful. Linking the 'A' and 'O' together so kids can move within both spaces is a bridge at the top, and lower down are monkey bars.
The 'A' features four different levels and each level are identified with a different colour. The entrance is a slope that kids need to climb to enter the playground. The second level is flat but has many balls that kids need to crawl through. The third level is another slope for the kids to climb, and the final level is flat but is the entrance to the large slide which ends in a ball pit.
The 'O' features four different levels like the 'A', and on the ground, floor kids can play with the tire swings. The first level is a slope where kids can climb, the second level is flat for kids to run across, the third level is another slope, and the final level is flat, where kids can access the entrance to the swirly slide and the climbing frame in the centre.
Throughout the playground, AO Play character boards will be scattered to form a treasure hunt. Kids can interact with these boards with their wristbands; once their wristband lights up, they can push the tennis ball to select an answer. This response is recorded on their wristband, and when handed in at the exit, they can receive a prize for each correct answer.
AO Play Characters