Jonathan Hanahan and Rory Hyde
From Volume #22 The Guide:
In 2002, Volume’s predecessor Archis presented a ‘Psychogeographic Bicycle Tour of Aldo van Eyck’s Amsterdam Playgrounds’.1 Included were two numbered maps of the location of the playgrounds in 1976 and 2002, a list indicating their current status, and a series of before and after photos showing how they had stood up to the test of time and encroaching urban development.
First designed by the 26 year-old van Eyck in 1947 for the Department of Urban Development, the playgrounds from his hand – and those replicating it – are beautifully simple, inspired by the artistic likes of Piet Mondrian and Theo van Doesburg. Their minimalist forms, such as steel framed climbing domes, circular sand pits and horizontal bars of varying heights quickly spread throughout the city to form a familiar recurring element, and an important part of Amsterdam’s collective childhood memory.
As this issue of Volume presents a comprehensive exploration of the concept of ‘the guide’, we thought we would test their credentials by re-revisiting these playgrounds with the magazine as our guide. Please join us on this journey.
Find the rest of the article here (As Published):
http://issuu.com/jhanahan/docs/v22_hanahanhyde_archisasguide
