Thoughtful Design for Inclusive Spaces and Playgrounds

Date & Time

Thursday, March 21, 2024 - 1:20 PM PDT  

Location

Platinum 8  

Description

The first Magical Bridge Playground was created out of necessity. Olenka Villarreal couldn't find a public playground that supported her daughter's physical development needs. While ADA compliant, the parks lacked wheelchair access, were designed for specific body types, and depended on physical strength. Olenka worked with the city of Palo Alto, families, and experts to build a truly inclusive park.

Magical Bridge Playgrounds include several play zones for physical and mental development. Each area has flexibility for all bodies, wheelchair accessible, and seamlessly integrated and connected to each other for free movement. The parks also include quiet spaces, musical zones, performance stages, and are enjoyed by the whole community.

Villareal, and the creators, used inclusive design to develop the public spaces, innovative features, and architectural design. The parks also use community-driven, thoughtful design to create an environment that encourages multi-generational usage, community hub, and a space where all kids can play equally. Powering this is a network of Kindness Ambassadors, who are champions for welcoming guests and encouraging play.

Learn how to use community-centered, universal design to develop your space and products. Discover the contributions of guests, Kindness Ambassadors, local organizations, and city leaders.

This Presentation Link is provided by the Presenter(s) and not hosted by the Center on Disabilities at CSUN. The Center on Disabilities has confirmed, as of March 26, 2024, content linked is relevant to the presentation, but has not been reviewed for accessibility nor will the Center on Disabilities attempt to remediate any accessibility issues in the linked content. Please contact the Presenter(s) with any accessibility concerns.

 

Audience

• Information & Communications Technology
• Disability Specific
• K-12 Education
• Healthcare & Rehabilitation
• Entertainment & Recreation

Audience Level

Beginning  

Session Summary (Abstract)

Magical Bridge Playgrounds have transformed what it means to be an inclusive public park. Olenka Villareal, the founder, will share how these playgrounds were developed with community-focused, thoughtful design. Discover the use of specialized zones.  

Primary Topic

Design  

Secondary Topics

• Captions & Transcription
• Healthcare & Rehabilitation
• Independent Living
• Leisure & Travel

 

Session Type

General Track  

Presenters

• Olenka Villarreal
  Magical Bridge Foundation
• Ted Drake
  Intuit

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