THE COMPUTER
PLAYGROUND
WHERE:
Ruoholahdenpuisto Park, Helsinki, Finland
YEAR:
2024
CUSTOMER:
Helsinki City
COLLABORATION:
Linda Liukas
Helsinki City Design department
Näkymä Landscape Architecture
Author and illustrator, Linda Liukas and Helsinki City Council approached MONSTRUM with a vision to create an innovative playground - perhaps the world's first computer-themed playground and the first themed adventure playground of its kind in Finland.
The playground is composed of several play areas, which are connected by a strong narrative about computers and learning and divided to echo the flow of computation: input - processing - output.
The two huge towers are the centerpiece of the playscape and, perched on top of a hill, their bold, vibrant colours and striking shapes capture the attention of those passing by. Inside the towers, children can climb to the top by way of rope nets and platforms. Both towers have fun tube slides to zoom down and are connected by a steel mesh tunnel.
The other areas accommodate quieter play - perfect for younger children and also those seeking a calmer way to play. In each area, there are intricately designed smaller-scale details to encourage hands-on learning. Here, children learn about the digital world by exploring in an analogue manner.
The playground is designed by Linda Liukas and created in close collaboration with Linda and the Helsinki City design department.

The playground design is full of vibrant colours and geometric shapes.
DESIGNING A COMPUTER-THEMED PLAYSCAPE

A SCREEN-FREE WORLD OF COMPUTERS
The playground is designed by Linda Liukas, the author and illustrator of a children’s picture book about the whimsical world of computers, as well as the founder of a global movement to teach young women programming in over 260 cities.
The vision was to create screen-free educational environment, where children can experience and learn about computer technology in a fun and hands-on way. The playground invites children to explore and discover new things, supported by the use of QR codes, that lead to educational materials that kids can dive deeper into at the playground or at home.

The only way I can truly understand something is
by physically engaging with it.
I use my fingertips—not just my brain—
to observe and solve problems.- Linda Liukas

EXPERIENCE COMPUTERS FROM THE INSIDE OUT

Become a piece of data being processed in the giant computer towers.

Climb high in the sky as you move from the one tower to the next.

The light dances in through the coloured windows, creating a beautiful visual effect.

Get hands-on with binary - play with the 1's and 0's here and learn about computer basics.

The pixel board is a super fun manipulative feature.

PLAY WITH PIXELS ON THE SCREEN

Climb up on top of the computer screen play house!

Free play for the imagination.

The vent at the back of the computer play house makes for great climbing opportunities.

An early sketch of the Nyan cat-inspired play feature.

Bounce about on this iconic cat!
The smartphone carrousel is a great for collaborative play!
IMMERSIVE LEARNING
Linda Liukas has developed a series of educational materials associated with the various features and areas at the playground. Children and their parents can scan the QR codes to find out more about the aspect of computers that the play feature illustrates and take the learning experience a step further.

I’ve been working to make the abstract ideas of computer science
tangible, even when you’re on your hands and knees.- Linda Liukas
