March 17, 2023 @ 3:30 p.m. MDT
About the Lecture:
In recent years, the U.S. has undergone a renaissance in playscape design. Those designing and commissioning playgrounds are increasingly moving away from static pole and platform structures that provide little play value and even less challenge. While safety is still one of the major drivers of playground design, there is an increasing understanding that not all risks can or should be limited--and some are beneficial. The adventure playground--where children build their own environments with hammers and saws--has made a bit of a comeback, and loose parts are being embraced on a wider scale. Innovative climbing features let children climb higher, farther, and in more social ways--while limiting falls from high places. And designers are increasingly bringing nature into playscapes--which has positive impacts on children's health and well-being.
In this presentation, Daniel Jost will discuss the playscape renaissance taking place, some of the playscapes he documented as a writer at Landscape Architecture Magazine, and his own efforts to support thoughtful playscapes and outdoor learning environments. He will introduce work by the Natural Learning Initiative at North Carolina State University, where he spent the past six years working closely with Robin Moore and Nilda Cosco on a variety of projects aimed at educating designers and removing regulatory barriers to nature play and learning. He will also challenge those who attend to think about how they may contribute to the creation of better landscapes for children--through design, research, outreach, and advocacy.
Speaker Bio:
Daniel Jost, ASLA, is a Distinguished Visiting Professor of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning at Utah State University. Dan has spent much of the past two decades as a writer, researcher, designer, and teacher in the field of landscape architecture. He has written over 80 articles for Landscape Architecture Magazine, and his writing has been honored with the Bradford Williams Medal by the American Society of Landscape Architects. He is interested in how landscape architects can create artful spaces that support people's health, well-being, and social connection, while integrating ecological systems and cultural resources. In recent years, Dan has developed expertise in children's playscapes. He has presented scholarship related to landscapes for children at national and international conferences held by American Society of Landscape Architects, the Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture, the Environmental Design Research Association, the U.S. Play Coalition, and the International Play Association. He's worked at the Natural Learning Initiative at North Carolina State University with Robin Moore and Nilda Cosco to remove regulatory barriers--both real and perceived--to children's connection to nature at childcare facilities. Working with a variety of stakeholders, he co-authored Playing by the Rules| Colorado and a similar guide in Texas to help people navigate state rules and regulations for childcare outdoor areas. He has worked with the National Wildlife Federation and state health departments to critically evaluate and reimagine existing childcare regulations to support nature play and learning. He has also conducted fieldwork exploring how the design of public park playscapes influences adults' supervision of school-age children. He is interested in how designers may encourage children's independent active free play. And he is undertaking historical research to understand the evolution of playground design standards.
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