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Unipark has succeeded in an international tender for a bespoke play area design in Bangor, Northern Ireland. It is the first major project for Unipark’s UK branch. Bangor is a marina town with a strong bond to the sea. Yet part of its waterfront had been overlooked for years. The new regeneration project is set to change that. At the heart of this change will be a new playpark.
The brief made it clear that this was not an ordinary play area design. The project called for a complete solution for a larger public space. It had to serve local families, visitors and the wider community. The playpark covers around 2,100 m². It was expected to become a destination for families from across Northern Ireland. The design had to be unique to Bangor. It also had to be practical, low-maintenance, easy to operate and resistant to the coastal climate. Most play elements were aimed at children under 11, but the space also had to welcome younger and older children. The brief also asked for quiet areas, greenery and seating. Access was essential. Parents with prams, wheelchair users and people with reduced mobility all had to feel that the playpark was made for them too. The client also wanted a strong design feature that could become a local landmark.
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The site-specific idea begins with the layout and materials. The design uses durable materials selected for long-term performance. The materials include high-grade stainless steel, galvanised or metallised steel, and treated robinia wood. The entrances follow the natural routes people would take from the surrounding area. The existing stormwater drainage line divides the site into two parts. Instead of treating this as a limit, the design turns it into a story. One side is inspired by the sea. The other is inspired by the shore. The two parts are divided by a wavy line in the paving. It represents the tide line and lights up after dark. The sea side is full of movement, height and adventure. It carries the energy of waves. The shore side is calmer. It offers space for younger children, creativity, sensory play and rest. Here, the design draws from rocks, caves and a sheltered cove.
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The central feature of the sea side is a wooden shipwreck with towers that rise like rocky cliffs. The shore side is home to a black guillemot play sculpture, inspired by a seabird found in the local area. Across the playpark, visitors can also find forms inspired by a fish tail, seaweed, starfish and shells. The marina has long served visitors and boats. Over time, local people became more distant from the waterfront. This play area design tries to bring the sea back to them. Not literally, but emotionally.
Local stories give the playpark its deeper emotional layer. In the quieter part, children can enter a cave play element and discover the story of Jenny Watt. Jenny lived on the Bangor coast in the 18th century. According to local legend, she found a hidden cave where smugglers stored their goods. Outside the cave, children can search for objects that look as if the tide has revealed them.
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The main symbol of the design is the mermaid Lí Ban. According to a Bangor legend, she was a princess who was transformed into a sea creature together with her little dog. She became a mermaid. The dog became an otter, so she would not be alone at sea. This story adds warmth to the whole play area design. It is not only about adventure. It is also about companionship, courage and belonging. Lí Ban sits on one of the adventure towers as a light stainless-steel wire structure. On the second tower, she is joined by her otter companion. During the day, the figures look soft and subtle. In the evening, lighting turns the mermaid into a glowing point of orientation and a symbolic guardian of the playpark.
Inclusivity runs through the whole concept. The main routes use level, accessible paving without sharp edges or pronounced joints. Impact and play areas are made from EPDM surfacing. The colours help divide the space and strengthen the maritime theme. The play elements offer different levels of difficulty. This means every child can find a suitable way to play. Some can run, climb and test their courage. Others can move more slowly, touch, listen, watch and join in at their own pace. The main attraction offers two different routes with different levels of challenge. The adventure route leads across ropes, nets and obstacles, then continues through climbing structures into the towers, which are connected by bridges. The calmer route is fully accessible. It rises gradually, using ramps and soft transitions. This allows wheelchair users to move above ground level, enter the tower and become part of the story. Every child can therefore enjoy the view across the playpark, experience the thrill of height and feel included in the adventure.
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Inclusive elements continue along the route and across the site. The shipwreck includes an inclusive slide, while other play features include a swing with an adapted seat, an in-ground roundabout accessible by wheelchair, a similarly designed trampoline and a sensory path with different textures and surface structures. The playpark also includes tactile walls and a suspended tubular sound play element that can be used while seated. The whole space is open, clear and easy to read. Colour coding helps people with cognitive impairments find their way around. There are no dead zones or hidden corners. This supports safety, comfort and confidence for children, parents and carers.
The community heart of the playpark sits where the sea side and shore side meet. It is not just a seating area. It is the place where people naturally come together. From here, parents can watch their children. Older people can rest. Friends can meet. Children can move between calm play and adventure without disappearing from view. Wooden platforms are inspired by small islands off a rocky coast. They have different heights and angles, so people can sit, pause, talk or simply observe. The furniture is accessible from all sides and is complemented by planting.
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The design also invites the local community to take part. Four workshops will be organised with Northern Ireland Marine Task Force, Ulster Wildlife, AccessibleUK and Boom Studios. Each workshop will involve a different group: children from local schools, children with special needs, home-educated families and older residents. The aim is simple: local stories, memories and creative ideas should become part of the playpark itself. The artistic outputs from the workshops will appear on walls in three locations or as sandblasted artwork in local stone near the playpark. Marianne Kennerley, director of Boom Studios, says: “We see Unipark’s proposed programme as an excellent opportunity to build meaningful community connections around the new play space – engaging local children, families and residents in exploring Bangor’s unique coastal identity and transforming their stories and ideas into lasting works of art.”
• Not a catalogue playpark
• Site-specific layout, routes and sightlines
• Inspiration from local motifs: sea, coastline and native species
• Local history and legends: Lí Ban and Jenny Watt
• Materials and colours adapted to the coastal climate
• Community participation through creative workshops
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This case study of Bangor play area design shows what can happen when a playpark grows from the identity of a place. The design connects the sea, local legends, maritime history, native wildlife and community life. It turns them into one clear story. Children can climb through towers, board a shipwreck, discover a cave, follow sensory routes or meet the mermaid Lí Ban watching over the waves of play. The result is an inclusive bespoke play area design with accessible routes, calm and dynamic play zones, and a landmark attraction with towers, a ship and a local legend at its heart. This is not a catalogue solution. It is a site-specific playpark designed to give Bangor a new symbol, a lively public space and a family destination with real emotional value.
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participatory workshops
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height of the mermaid sculpture
In AccessibleUK’s professional opinion, Unipark’s proposal for Bangor Marine Gardens Playpark meets – and in several respects exceeds – the inclusive design requirements set out in the tender brief. It represents an example of integrated inclusive design, bringing together visual quality, play value and accessibility within one coherent concept.