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Skalnaté pleso is a popular tourist crossroads in the Tatra Mountains in Slovakia, easily accessible by cable car – even for families with young children. A children’s playground had stood here for years, but it needed new life. So, we designed not one but three play sculptures: two marmots and a bear family.
The existing playground was outdated. The new one had to entertain kids aged 3 to 12, reflect local wildlife, and withstand harsh mountain weather.
The Tatra marmot is an endemic subspecies and unofficial symbol of the mountains. It’s so beloved that wildlife experts once installed a webcam to broadcast marmot life to the world – from the place near Skalnaté pleso. So our main character was clear. We proposed a playground with three play sculptures, one specially adapted for the youngest children. These smaller features blend into the landscape but still engage both kids and adults. Based on our architectural study, the client decided to build the project in three phases.
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Each sculpture has a robust steel structure, clad with hand-cut robinia wood. This is an example of precise handcrafted workmanship – each plank is different in size. The sculptural elements – paws, eyes, heads – were made by our sculptor Jirka. We used weatherproof paints and added stainless-steel tunnels and slides. One Y-shaped tunnel was custom-built – the first of its kind in Slovakia.
The sculptures were transported to Slovakia in one piece, then flown by helicopter to 1,751 m above sea level. Only one helicopter in the country can lift that kind of weight to such altitude. Installation itself is simple – fixed onto concrete pads and surrounded by gravel for soft landings. TÜV SÜD certified the finished playground for safety.
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The first sculpture – a marmot on a rock with a tunnel and slide – was installed in summer 2024. Climbing grips were added to the rock. The friendly marmot overlooking the valley became an instant photo spot.
Two other sculptures have already been completed and transported to Slovakia, but they are awaiting installation. The second sculpture is a crawlable marmot den with a surprised marmot head peeking out. The third is a bear family: visitors can climb inside the large bear using a rope ladder, while the smaller bear is designed for toddlers.
The full trio of sculptures is expected to be completed and installed at Skalnaté pleso soon.
tonnes
high
wooden parts
elevation
Adults hike for the views – but try motivating a five-year-old to walk uphill. This is the perfect reward. In Austria, it’s totally standard.