For the past 20 years, our Director Fiona Robbé has searched tirelessly for an aesthetically pleasing slide that was fully inclusive, suitable for the Australian climate, and designed to Australian Standards.
She first looked to plastic slides, however these created issues for kids with cochlear implants due to the static as they travel down the slide. They were also easily vandalised by graffiti and arson.
Stainless steel slides were the next choice – they presented none of the problems found in plastic slides, win! However, they tended to heat up to dangerous temperatures and could lead to serious burns. This would not do for playgrounds in our Australian climate.
Finally, Fiona decided she would have to come up with a design of her own. It would meet all her needs for safety and inclusivity, and as a bonus would be simple and aesthetically pleasing. She looked for inspiration from around the world – Isamu Noguchi’s mind-bending spiral slide, granite slides in New York City and Amsterdam – and came up with her brilliant idea: cool, polished concrete.
She took the news back to her team and they set about perfecting the idea. And the rest, as they say, is history!
- Engineered, reinforced concrete
- Compliant with existing and forthcoming Australian Playground Equipment Standards (AS 4685)
- Greater thermal stability than plastic or stainless steel
- Polished to achieve optimal slipperiness!
- Flexible attachment to structures
- Different heights available
- Infinite variations of colours, finishes and textures
- Comfortable for children and carers
- Fire retardant material
