A multidisciplinary team of XISUI Design has created a 3D concrete-printed playground in Shandong Province, China. 

Named Boulder Park, a 13,000-square-metre community park in Ji'nan, combines massive boulders - a natural material symbolizing eternity - as the core design element. These boulders complement the park's experiential and practical offerings. 

Aerial View of the Main Installation. Photography © Zhou Sheng, CHENIN Visual, 2024

Stones in the shallow creek can be incorporated into the water play installation, and boulders set over a sandpit can be used as climbing and resting play structures. Additionally, cutting-edge 3D-printed concrete technology is used to build a huge rock cave adventure area.

Created by XISUI Design, it provides a place for community involvement and intergenerational interaction by fusing children's play spaces with water elements and natural landscapes.

Aerial View of the All-Age Boulder Playground. Photography © Hu Yihao, XISUI Design, 2024

Boulder Park occupies the central area of Yunwan Garden in Ji'nan. The area serves as a comprehensive community park that incorporates leisure, family time, shallow stream water sports, and a children's playground. 

The park is separated into several sections based on its practical features and style: Boulder Playground for All Ages, Flower Garden, Forest Garden, Water Garden, and Stone Garden.

The All-Age Boulder Playground, Water Garden, and Forest Garden were among the kid-friendly spaces designed by XISUI Design.

Aerial View of the All-Age Boulder Playground. Photography © Hu Yihao, XISUI Design, 2024

All-Age Boulder Playground and Forest Garden

The All-Age Boulder Playground and Forest Garden offers a range of interactive experiences for kids, including swings, slides, seesaws, trampolines, rocking horses, merry-go-rounds, speech tubes, climbing ropes, and more. 

Shade and Seating Areas Formed at the Bottom. Photography © Zhou Sheng, CHENIN Visual, 2024

These facilities are incorporated into the natural setting, which is made up of concrete caverns and big stones. Children can enjoy themselves while strengthening their limbs thanks to the design. 

These activities foster the development of the brain's capacity to perceive nature, equilibrium, and other critical abilities in addition to physical growth.

Toddler Tunnel and Speaking Tubes. Photography © Zhou Sheng, CHENIN Visual, 2024

Water Garden

The Water Garden, which is situated west of the All-Age Boulder Playground, is a naturally occurring, outdoor water play area with bubbling, small streams. XISUI Design's design team concentrated on developing engaging water play activities for kids of all ages. 

The 3D-Printed Concrete Surfaces Feature Layered Rock Textures. Photography © Hu Yihao, XISUI Design, 2024

Youngsters can interact with fountains, experience the water's movement, and investigate water turntables, twisting creeks, and jumping springs—all of which are intended to pique their interest. 

The experience is enhanced with water pumps and pressure devices, which offer chances for investigation and education. Children can contact with water and experience its soft power directly in an interactive setting, which strengthens their bond with the natural world.

A Cave Like Secret Space. Photography © Zhou Sheng, CHENIN Visual, 2024

Main installations

The park's displays are notable for their use of 3D concrete printing, a cutting-edge building technology. Using digital models, this additive manufacturing technique creates monolithic buildings with intricate, free-form curving curves. It is difficult to create such shapes using conventional formwork.

Smooth Slide Surfaces Inside the Rough Exterior. Photography © Zhou Sheng, CHENIN Visual, 2024

A computer-controlled robotic arm is used in 3D concrete printing to precisely extrude liquid or semi-solid concrete, which solidifies and builds the structure layer by layer. 

The essence offers previously unheard-of flexibility and complexity in spatial design and construction by fusing material science and computer design. 

Several 3D-printed Concrete Installations Integrated into the Landscape, Forming the Main Visual Contours of the Space. Photography © Zhou Sheng, CHENIN Visual, 2024

The resultant layered rock textures produce unique surface textures that have a visual resemblance to boulders and caves found in nature. Furthermore, its ability to simultaneously build organic shapes enhances the user experience and spatial precision.

Integrating into the Overall Atmosphere of the Community's Natural Green Space 02. Photography © Zhou Sheng, CHENIN Visual, 2024

3D concrete printing monolithic molding

Complex organic structures can be monolithically molded using digitally controlled 3D printing. In addition to greatly increasing shape accuracy and preventing the inevitable mistakes that come with traditional workmanship, this also lessens the need for manual skills, demonstrating the intimate connection between art and technology.

Integrating into the Overall Atmosphere of the Community's Natural Green Space 03. Photography © Zhou Sheng, CHENIN Visual, 2024

Layered canyon

The 3D printing method's distinctive layered rock texture blends in with the surrounding natural stone environment, satisfying modern utilitarian requirements while preserving an air of adventure and discovery. It appears as though kids playing among the "boulders" are navigating actual canyons. 

In the meantime, the surface's delicate curves organically provide railings, steps, slides, and sitting components, balancing the installation's form and function.

Boulder Installation with a Small Slide and Crawl-through Holes. Photography © Hu Yihao, XISUI Design, 2024

Safety and fun

When it involves children's play places, safety and fun are crucial. Every 3D-printed landscape installation is made with rounded corners and smooth edges to eliminate any potentially dangerous or pointy areas that could injure people. In terms of shape and function, the cave-like settings, which include speaking tubes, tunnels, and slides, blend the garden setting with kid-friendly play activities.

Concrete Boulders Blending into the Environment. Photography © Hu Yihao, XISUI Design, 2024

"Landscape structures and installations are often small in scale, with low load requirements and simple, clear functional needs. In the application of 3D-printed concrete technology, compared to architecture, landscape projects may have even more diverse usage scenarios," explained Hu Yihao, Lead Designer. 

"Although the current 3D concrete materials still face a series of challenges, such as uneven stress distribution and relatively simple reinforcement methods, the 3D printing materials used in Boulder Park have an average strength of 50MPA, surpassing the traditional C40 concrete strength standard," Yihao explained.

Integrating into the Overall Atmosphere of the Community's Natural Green Space 01. Photography © Hu Yihao, XISUI Design, 2024

"This technical specification is more than sufficient to meet the structural needs of most landscape installations and structures," added Mr. Yihao. 

"In landscape projects, outdoor durability, the ability to achieve organic shapes, ease of construction and installation, and cost savings in labor are the primary considerations. 3D printing technology, with its significant advantages in these aspects, has become an ideal choice for this purpose," Yihao concluded.

The Overall View of the Low-Age Area. Photography © Zhou Sheng, CHENIN Visual, 2024

The park demonstrates how 3D concrete printing, a new technology, can improve public areas while honoring the environment and local culture. It provides an area for play, discovery, and fostering a relationship with nature by fusing natural elements with 3D-printed concrete components. 

This project is a prime example of how 3D-printed concrete components blend in with their environment while offering the community both practical and decorative benefits.

Natural Touch Zones with Wood, Stone, and Tree Bark. Photography © Zhou Sheng, CHENIN Visual, 2024

Canyon Climbing Ropes Transformed from Large Stones. Photography © Hu Yihao, XISUI Design, 2024

Flower Garden Rocks and Water Play Facilities. Photography © Hu Yihao, XISUI Design, 2024

Water Lifting and Flow Observation, with a Small Waterwheel. Photography © Zhou Sheng, CHENIN Visual, 2024

Streams and Stepping Stones Hidden in the Vegetation. Photography © Zhou Sheng, CHENIN Visual, 2024

Boulder Park Children's Activity Area Plan

Boulder Park Idea Sketch Plan

Boulder Park Main Installation Analysis

Boulder Park Main Installation Analysis

XISUI Design is a multidisciplinary team of landscape architects, architects, installation artists, structural engineers, and parametric designers.

The team is dedicated to delivering clients full design solutions and excels in conceptual design with creative methods. Many members have studied overseas.

Project facts

Project name: Boulder Park: A 3D Concrete-Printed Playground

Location: Vanke Snow Mountain City, Jiangshan North Street, Licheng District, Jinan City, Shandong Province, China

Client: Vanke Jinan

Designers: Hu Yihao, Peng Yang, Li Chengxi, Zheng Mengzi, Chen Wenqi, Ruan Chengxin, Liu Yihe, Chu Tiancheng

Project Manager: Peng Yang

Design Team: XISUI Design

3D Printing Construction: Guanli Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd.

Structural Consultant: LuAnLu Partner Structure Consulting

Project Site Area: 4,000 m2 (children’s area only）

Budget: CNY 2.5 million

Project Completion Date: June 26, 2024

Video: CHENIN Visual

The top image in the article: Children Playing Among the Boulders Seem to Be Traversing Real Canyons. Photography © Zhou Sheng, CHENIN Visual, 2024.

Photographers © Hu Yihao, XISUI Design: Zhou Sheng, CHENIN Visual.

All drawings © XISUI Design.

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