MONSTRUM

MONSTRUM’s core focus is on visual design, motor challenges and safety

Design

We believe that playground design should be a reflection of the world surrounding us.
We see the world as a place full of colour. We meet boys that like pink and girls that likes climbing trees. Why only play on a monky frame and in a sandbox, when you can play in a moon crater or a submarine or a giant spider or an enormous snail or a Trojans horse or a rocket or an ant or a princess castle. The fantasy is infinite.
As artists and designers and through our experience building theatrical set-design at numerous theaters in Copenhagen, we have the knowledge to combine elements where not only physical activities and play evolve, but also with a visual story that creates a space where fantacy thrives.

The world is a truly fantastic, colourfull and dangerous place for kids to grow up in. The playground has to be an equal inspiring alternative where kids can learn to assess risks in a safe invironment.

Motor challenges

The foremost purpose of the playgrounds is to challenge the motor skills of the child at all levels. The most successful playgrounds have a clearly defined age group or is divided into separate areas to meet the specific age groups needs. Nursery children needs comfort, presence of adults and smaller challenges and older children need speed and difficult challenges, contex and elements like tree houses (seperate from the nursery kids).
Younger kids are driven and inspired by watching the skills of the older kids (mentors), and the older kids are driven by the small victories in which they can measure there own advancement with heighs, length and speed.

Beside the playgrounds visual expressions, you will also find classic elements like the swing, a slide, and the carousel, elements that are fun at all ages.
Playgrounds for children with special needs, require thorough knowledge of the specific child’s need. We always create our playgrounds with as much accessiblity as possible. The playground is also a social meeting place for all kinds of kids. There are many social activities which aren´t physical.

Safety issues

All of our playgrounds meet the requirements described in EN 1176/77, which is the safety regulations for the European Standards.
It is our foremost importance to keep focus on safety from initial concept to finished product.
To keep the focus on safety, from the initial ideas to the completed assembled playground, we have a certified playground inspector in our design team. This gives us thorough knowledge of both the rules and to the usual interpretations, and pitfalls.
After installing the playground we recommend our clients to have an independent certified playground inspector approve the playground.
Our job is not finished until the inspector can write a safety report on the playground without errors!

MONSTRUM guarantee that the playground meets the requirements in EN 1176/77.

”Risk-taking is an essential feature of play provision and of all environments in which children legitimately spend time playing. Play provision aims to offer children the chance to encounter acceptable risks as part of a stimulating, challenging and controlled learning environment. Play provision should aim at managing the balance between the need to offer risk to keep children safe from serious harm”.
”In play provision exposure to some degree of risk may be of benefit because it satisfies a basic human need and gives children the chance to learn about risk and consequences in a controlled environment”.

”Respecting the characteristics of children’s play and the way children benefit from playing on the playground with regard to development, children need to learn to cope with risk and this may lead to bumps and bruises and even occasionally a broken limb. The aim of this standard is first and formost to prevent accidents with a disabling or fatal consequence, and secondly to lessen serious consequences caused by the occasional mishap that inevitably will occur in children’s pursuit of expanding their level of competence, be it socially, intellectually or physically”.
Taken from EN 1176-1:2008

Product warranty

The playground is carried out in accordance with EN1176.
Defect parts due to manufacturing or material defects will be replaced or repaired free of charge within 5 years from delivery.
The warranty does not cover in case the product has not been maintained according to instructions.
Defects or damage that results from improper operation, storage, misuse or abuse, wear, tear or vandalism are excluded from coverage.

Construction materials

All play equipment is constructed and cladded with Superwood and spruse plywood.
Wood with permanent ground contact is made of Robinia wood, which distinguishes itself by being able to last between 25 and 40 years in contact with soil without waterproofing. If wood is not desired for any reason we will use galvanized metal or stainless steel.
Any painted surface is done with water based wood protection.

Company profile

The company was founded in 2003 by the passionate spirits Ole B. Nielsen and Christian Jensen.

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