Sputnik and Shed

By: Frances Hatherley

Two photobooks documenting what could be called ‘socialist playgrounds’ reveal the differences between adults designing for children, and children designing for themselves.

Huts, Temples, Castles by Ursula Schulz-Dornburg is published by Mack Books.

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Public provision for play, specifically outdoor spaces allocated solely for children’s use, is a relatively new thing. Germany had ‘sand gardens’ in the 1880s, later introduced in other countries, with the first dedicated ‘playgrounds’ being built towards the end of the century. As the population of cities grew, a need to do something with children — […]

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Public provision for play, specifically outdoor spaces allocated solely for children’s use, is a relatively new thing. Germany had ‘sand gardens’ in the 1880s, later introduced in other countries, with the first dedicated ‘playgrounds’ being built towards the end of the century. As the population of cities grew, a need to do something with children — […]

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Public provision for play, specifically outdoor spaces allocated solely for children’s use, is a relatively new thing. Germany had ‘sand gardens’ in the 1880s, later introduced in other countries, with the first dedicated ‘playgrounds’ being built towards the end of the century. As the population of cities grew, a need to do something with children — […]

Public provision for play, specifically outdoor spaces allocated solely for children’s use, is a relatively new thing. Germany had ‘sand gardens’ in the 1880s, later introduced in other countries, with the first dedicated ‘playgrounds’ being built towards the end of the century. As the population of cities grew, a need to do something with children — […]

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