WELTSTADT

Yarmag-inauguration day. © O.Kummel

by Olivia Kummel, Renato D’Alencon, G. Batbold and G. Altan-Od

The playground project is a follow-up of the water kiosk+ project. It was projected and constructed between October and beginning of December 2014 mainly by the students G. Batbold and G. Altan-Od of the urban planning course at the Mongolian University of Science and Technology (MUST) and residents of Yarmag. A playground was very much in need as the children did not have any possibility to spend their leisure time outside on a public place. The site is located at the bordering street between 6th and 5th micro-district of Yarmag directly beside the hot shower facility.

Yarmag-the MUST students G. Altan-Od (left) and G. Batbold (right) © O.Kummel

As the water kiosk+ -construction was going to be finished end of September 2014, the students were asked for support in construction of the playground. The active NGO in Yarmag “Good Neighbors” supported the levelling and fencing of the site already and now experience in planning and constructing of playgrounds was required, an excellent opportunity for the committed students to carry out a project from the scratch until final with active involvement of the residents on their own. The Goethe-Institut Ulaanbaatar supported the construction also financially. The students took mainly geometrical shapes for the design of the small place. The owner of the hot shower facility and some inhabitants gave recommendations for equipment during the design phase. The hot shower owner was very committed that the playground could be constructed on that site. The main idea of the design is that children of every age can play there and also elder people can meet on this peaceful place. Plantings, mainly in the south of the playground, should give shadow in hot summer times.

Yarmag-some of the active residents during the inauguration ceremony. © O.Kummel

After three weeks of designing and preparing the final draft and the model the residents were invited to discuss the design and the further procedure of the construction process. Some changes were done and also later on during construction some new ideas were integrated. The construction took almost one month. The playground is mainly furnished by a round sandpit in the middle and some toys such as swing, slide and feather car. Two sports instruments and a sheltered sitting place for the inhabitants make the place also attractive as meeting point for the community. Even during construction the children started already playing there. For tree and shrubs planting the season was already too cold and is postponed until spring 2015. Eighteen inhabitants from the micro-districts four, five and six of Yarmag regularly constructed the playground during weekends, supported by the students. Mainly women, especially elder ones, were involved in the construction. But also some men were eager to pave the path or to construct the wooden shelter. On 10th of December the inauguration was celebrated with a small programme thanking the persons who made the construction of the playground possible. With the joint effort of the inhabitants and the supporting institutions Goethe-Institut, Good Neighbors, MUST and the fifth and sixth micro-district administrations an important outdoor meeting point for the community could be created.

Yarmag- construction of pedestrian path. © G.Batbold

Yarmag- construction of sandbox. © O. Kummel