FEZ Berlin - An inclusive playground for shared experiences

The playground at the FEZ Berlin, covering an area of around 3,230 m², has been transformed into an inclusive open space that enables children with different physical, motor and sensory abilities to participate in play on an equal footing. The design was based on a participatory process involving school pupils, whose requirements and wishes were directly incorporated into the concept.

The design follows the principle that not everyone has to be able to do everything – but there is something for everyone. This has been achieved through wheelchair-accessible paths, varying levels of difficulty, sensory activities and sheltered quiet spaces. An inclusive climbing and play structure with ramps and walkways, a water play area with a low-level pump, a mud table accessible to wheelchairs, an adapted nest swing, as well as tunnel and balancing features create a wide range of opportunities for playing and experiencing things together – whether loudly or quietly, cautiously or full of energy.

Alongside inclusion, the focus was on accessibility, risk awareness and nature-inspired design. New shrubs and eleven newly planted trees improve the microclimate, provide shade and enhance the play area with spots for resting, observing and discovering. The result is an open space that views inclusion not as an additional feature, but as a spatial principle – a place where children experience differences as an enrichment, build a sense of community and learn through play to recognise and interact with one another.

Commissioned by Bezirksamt Treptow-Köpenick von Berlin                                                                                                                                                                                      Implementation period 2025-2026                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Phases 1–9