As Texas Gets Hotter, Architects Are Designing Playgrounds to Withstand the Heat

“Go out and play” is a difficult task to accept in a city where summers are harsh. One of the hardest parts of parenting a young child in Houston is finding things for them to do when temperatures approach triple digits. One of the biggest hurdles is that playgrounds become unbearable in the heat, but a handful of Texas architectural firms are designing playgrounds to offset the scorching temperatures. This means rethinking everything.

Climate change is causing temperatures to rise at an unprecedented rate. Last year, the heatwave broke records. Average temperatures in Houston have risen nearly five degrees since the 1970s, according to the nonprofit news organization Climate Central. The two hottest days on record at William P. Hobby Airport were in 2000 and 2023, at 108 and 109 degrees, respectively. This oppressive heat has been linked to declining mental and physical health and isolation.

“I’ve worked in Texas for 12 years and it’s always uncomfortably hot, especially in the summer,” says Conners Ladner, principal landscape architect at Design Workshop in Austin, which designed the Houston Arboretum’s play area. opening in 2021. “We need to focus on human comfort. »

How do you make a playground bearable enough to get the kids outside? This means viewing the problem of climate change as one to be adapted to rather than avoided. Ladner says that while politicians in red states tend to deny climate change, they generally accept that playgrounds need to account for rising temperatures.

“We don’t see a lot of resistance, especially in the South,” he says. “I was at a city council meeting in Waco, and people were very enthusiastic and asking questions about shade. I think people are starting to understand the unlimited value of shade.”

Not surprisingly, for a man involved with the Arboretum, Ladner has some very good things to say about trees in green spaces. Many of his company’s budgets include funds to plant mature trees in and around the park. Sometimes customers balk at the cost, but Ladner says trees are as essential as play equipment.

“If there’s no shade, no one will use the park,” he said. “All the equipment will sit there, with no one playing on it. It would just be a waste of money. »

Rising temperatures aren’t the only problem caused by climate change. Extreme droughts and winter storms are also taking a toll on the trees planted to keep playgrounds cool, prompting Design Workshop to visit nurseries for advice.

“In Austin, it’s been a very strange situation,” he says. “We had several feet of snow, then a massive drought, then another hard freeze. There’s a need to raise awareness and discuss how climate change may affect the project over time.”

When it comes to building the equipment, Ladner focuses on shade sails and avoids stainless steel, which has long been recognized as a burn hazard to children by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) when temperatures exceed 100 degrees.

Lone Star Recreation in Stafford also works to prevent weather-related playground injuries. The firm has designed numerous spaces in the Houston area, including Roane Park in Missouri City, Ed Thompson Inclusive Park in Pearland and the Billy Reagan K-8 Educational Center in southwest Houston.

The company prepares a detailed brief of its heat and climate change design protocols for each project. Color, for example, is a major factor. Lighter colors reflect heat and light, while darker colors absorb them. When possible, shades should be dark, while high-touch areas such as slides should be light. Plastic is preferred over metal, although plastic can still get hot enough to burn if not properly shaded. One-third of the 30 playground burns recorded by the CPSC between 2001 and 2008 were caused by plastic equipment.

Recycled wood is also a popular choice for playhouses because it prevents warping in the sun like other materials do. Lone Star uses it for playhouses, tables and seats.

Like Design Workshop, Lone Star Recreation is hyper-focused on shadow. Sails, pavilions and awnings must take into account the path of the sun and be high enough so that they cannot be climbed. Finally, water games are becoming more and more omnipresent in playgrounds. Splash pads and misters can do a lot to keep kids cool on equipment. For example, Lone Star’s work with Lantana Park in Katy includes both a shaded pavilion right next to a large splash pad so kids can get in and out of the heat in different ways while still having a place to play. sit and eat a snack comfortably.

During the summer in Houston, seeking this comfort is a necessity for parents. When choosing a playground, look carefully for appropriate shade, modern materials and access to water. No one wants to bandage wounds caused by hot metal structures, not to mention the disappointed faces when these restless children can’t play for long because of the heat.