Mine explorer –
unconventional playground

Most playgrounds look the same – a few swings, a slide, a merry-go-round. But why settle for ordinary? For the baby-friendly Hotel Sitno, we created a playground that’s different. Inspired by the region’s mining history and selected architectural features from the hotel’s interior, we designed something truly original.

Completed
2024 (Phase I)
Category
Bespoke children's playground
Location
Hotel Sitno Resort, Vyhne, Slovakia

Brief

Hotel Sitno already offered a kids’ zone, water park and entertainment programmes. What was missing? An outdoor space where children of all ages – and ideally their parents too – could play together.

Solution

The playground is split into zones for different age groups: a gravel play area for toddlers, educational and physical games for older kids, and a net-based section for teens and adults. The mining theme ties it all together.

Mining inspired fun



Toddlers can scoop and sift gravel on a raised wooden platform – a nod to mining work. From there, they move into a small tower with interactive educational features. The walls are painted dark to mimic an underground mine, and UV lamps reveal glowing hidden images.

A bridge connects the small tower to a larger one designed for older children. Inside is a maze of tunnels, platforms and ramps. Even here, marble runs and ball games are built into the lower sections – with balls rolling down from higher levels. From the large tower, kids can slide down a tunnel or climb to the final net zone.

The gravel play area




The main frame is made from glued larch or robinia timber, with cladding from robinia boards. The first section – the gravel play area – was completed in summer 2024. It features pulleys, buckets, conveyors, a mini mine cart, slide and swings.

The hotel invited guests to help name the playground. The winning name? Minime Adventure Park. Further phases will follow in 2025.

Mine explorer in numbers

6
m

planned height of the net section

150

boards

6.7

volume of robinia and larch wood

100
m

length of rope used in phase