Bienenstock is pushing boundaries—literally and figuratively. By empowering your stakeholders and listening to your vision, we design and create your ideal natural play space. Including greening our schoolyards, we are now including loccally sourced trees in all of of our projects.
OUR DESIGN STUDIO
Disruptive Design
There are qualities that unify Bienenstock’s designers. We all have extensive professional experience as landscape architects and designers. We are young (or young at heart), energetic and dedicated. We want to disrupt typical ideas of design and push pedagogical and physical boundaries. We all possess a “never stop learning” mentality, and this relentless search for cutting edge ideas is evident in our work. We embrace the collegial spirit of continuous improvement; we’re at our best when we’re keeping each other on our toes.
The Bienenstock Design Team collaborates on each step of each natural playground design, ensuring that our design solutions are not only functional and beautiful, but pedagogically sound. Our organizational diversity really shines on this team; we bring to bear international perspectives and a distinct range of talents and personalities.
With our unparalleled diversity of expertise and experience, we will guide your vision from paper to play space. Every Bienenstock natural playground is one-of-a-kind, tailored to our client’s needs, and, without a doubt, reflective our unceasing commitment to beauty and quality.
Our Design Process
At Bienenstock, we wholeheartedly believe that your team is one of the most crucial elements of the design process. Each design begins with a visit to your site and a meeting with your stakeholders. During this conversation we discuss your objectives, the site’s challenges and opportunities, the curriculum you use and all other information relevant to your space. We conduct a thorough site analysis and walk the space together — never forgetting to listen and ask questions, so that we thoroughly understand your vision.
These powerful conversations inform our design approach. Through a series of meetings and follow-up talks, we will guide you through hand drawings, 3D computer models, and comprehensive cost estimates — ensuring that your team has input throughout the entire process. With each new design iteration, we move closer to a unique, site-specific, natural playground design.
When the last shade tree is planted and the last instrument is installed, we measure our success by the natural playground’s level of engagement — both for children and their educators. We are not in the business of designing beautiful, static spaces. When we do our job well, we create a space where children love to play and educators feel empowered and inspired… a space that transforms the way they engage with each other and with the natural world.
ENGAGEMENT
CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
TECHNICAL DEVELOPMENT
IMPLEMENTATION
TRAINING
EVALUATION
Natural Playground Design Services
There are a variety of ways to work with our interdisciplinary team at Bienenstock. We thoroughly believe that no two sites are the same; therefore no two solutions will be identical. Whether you are just beginning the process or are well on your way, our design team offers a range of services to meet your needs and timeline.
Conceptual Design
This is the first phase of envisioning your space and the most critical in terms of generating support and building advocacy. Through a tailored series of visits and design meetings, the focus of conceptual design is to get your vision on paper.
Construction Documents
Once your conceptual vision has been established and you are ready to move towards implementation, we begin producing technical drawings and construction documents. This is a precise set of drawings that show how to build your new natural playground.
Design & Build
The most comprehensive approach we offer is our unique “design/build” approach. This includes conceptual design, technical drawings, and the installation of the playground. This option is often best suited for projects that have fixed timelines and/or budgets.
In addition to our standard design services listed above, we have extensive experience operating in additional capacities including Prime Consultants , Sub-Consultants , and Construction Administration & Oversight.
Safety & Compliance
Our team is composed of some of the most knowledgeable professionals when it comes to safety. Throughout the design process we are consistently considering safety and making sure each projects meets every necessary guideline and regulatory standard.
