Bradbury Park Playscape

Bradbury Park Playscape is a bold reimagining of public play space as civic sculpture, a landmark project that elevates play into an immersive journey of nature, movement, and connection.

Commissioned by Brisbane City Council with a brief for something truly unique, the project responds with a wholly bespoke environment that is as much urban art as it is landscape infrastructure.

Inspired by the native lorikeets that inhabit the surrounding bushland, the playscape unfolds as a “biological city”, a system of ‘hollows’ (tower-like chambers) and ‘byways’ (elevated connections), designed to echo the wild logic of nature. Movement flows through three layers: a subterranean zone at ground level, mounded and sloped terrain, and a high arboreal canopy. This vertical and horizontal integration encourages open-ended exploration, risk-taking and wonder.

Every detail responds to context. The structure is woven into mature ironbark trees, grounded by biomimetic materials and forms that reference local flora. The design avoids standard playground equipment in favour of custom forms, sculpted landforms, and self-shading elements that offer sensory richness and passive comfort.

Awards:

• AIA QLD Architecture Medallion, AIA QLD
• FDG Stanley Award for Public Architecture, AIA QLD
• The Karl Langer Award for Urban Design, AIA Greater Brisbane Region
• John Dalton Award forBuilding of the Year, AIA Greater Brisbane Region
• People's Choice Award, AIA Greater BrisbaneRegion
• Public Architecture Award, AIA Greater Brisbane Region
• Urban Design Award, AIAGreater Brisbane Region
• Social Impact Award, AILA QLD
• Award of Excellence Winner for PlaySpaces, Good Design Award Gold Winner for Architectural Design (Place Design), Parks andLeisure Australia
• QLD Best Playground >$500,000.00