With several audience groups to engage, the Guideline, identity and website necessitated simple, inspiring language, clean design and accessibility compliance.
Working alongside advocacy groups and government agencies, the office of Open Space began workshopping a set of principles to initiate greater inclusive play across the state, founded on a simple philosophy: no matter their age, ability or cultural background, everyone deserves to play.
How do you translate this sentiment into a document that inspires decision-makers?
To develop community and council interest, reflect a clear sense of play, and incite positive change, brand identity design echoes the fun of playspaces themselves.
Abstract patterns adapt the organic and geometric shapes seen in a playground’s aerial view, with one key shape paying homage to the Department of Planning and Environment’s work and branding. The overall pattern signifies the many moving parts in the discussion around inclusivity, while serving as a modular device to house content.
Drawing warmth from playspace equipment, NSW landscapes and shades of ochre, a pastel palette serves as a vibrant visual tool — moving away from traditional department conventions.
Everyone Can Play’s goals and principles were defined by a review of current theory and research into both playground design and universal design. The Guideline was then developed through a highly consultative workshop process, to ensure its principles and aims could easily be applied to industry and councils.
Compiling the input of 75 invested advisory and advocacy stakeholders, we streamlined community, council, government and supplier perspectives from three separate workshops to shape an inclusive structure and narrative.
The draft Guideline was placed on public exhibition for a period of six weeks, giving the community, industry and local government the opportunity to submit feedback and comments.
Shooting over two separate days at three Sydney playspace locations, photography captures a mix of authentic moments and interactions between family members, as well as inspiring portraits of ECP interviewees and inclusivity champions.
Communicating real and diverse relationships — mother and daughter, carer and supported, grandfather and grandson — images focus not on disability, but on the joyous freedom of play. Maximising natural lighting, images apply a warm, clean treatment to highlight colour in photographs and communicate a sense of enjoyment.
The finished Guideline is a workable, usable document, complete with empowering tools for people of all backgrounds — whether community, industry or council. Inspiring readers to champion change, Everyone Can Play is a powerful tool in the movement towards greater inclusivity across NSW.
Website design began with an accessibility check sheet based on the WCAG 2.0 criterion, to determine whether brand elements met the requirements for level AA, including colour contrast, link and button styling, heading rank styles and clearly defined boundaries.
Considering the presentation of information across different-sized viewports, desktop and mobile designs ensure content elements retain their intended hierarchy and structure when used within multiple display sizes.
The Guideline sets a benchmark for the industry, as recipient of the 2019 AILA NSW Award of Excellence for Community Contribution and the 2019 AILA National Award of Excellence for Community Contribution.
Though the project began as a NSW initiative, the Tasmanian government has expressed interest in developing an Everyone Can Play of its own — showcasing the spirit and success of inclusivity.
The Being Group has been a great partner in the preparation of Everyone Can Play. We need to inspire change, and the words and graphics created by The Being Group have helped the movement towards greater inclusion in NSW. It’s a pleasure to continue working with you on this project.
