Creating Adventurous Places (CAP.Co), the adventure play specialist, and Newhaven Fort, a heritage site in East Sussex, UK, have unveiled details of a new adventure playground as part of the attraction’s £7.5 million restoration project.
Newhaven Fort was constructed in the 19th century and is the biggest defensive structure ever built in Sussex. The site will reopen in spring 2025 following its restoration. In addition to the new playground, it will feature new interactive exhibitions and spectacular panoramic views.
Work on the playground is about to begin. Created by CAP.Co, the design includes an array of references to the site’s heritage and has been described as “a celebration of Victorian innovation”.
Inclusive design
The playground will feature a tubular slide attached to a Victorian dirigible, as well as a steam-crane-inspired lookout tower where kids can climb and find a hidden entrance. The playground will have accessible play features such as sound play, sensory items, interactive speaking tubes, and an accessible trampoline and roundabout.
Jono Burgess, CAP.Co designer and ‘professor of play’, says: “We’ve been working on this project since 2021, making sure the design reflects the history and character of Newhaven Fort.
“Since the Fort was built in the Victorian era, we wanted to celebrate the ingenuity and inventive spirit of the 1800s. Our design includes a sheltered play area called Ardagh’s workshop, named after the Fort’s original architect, Lieutenant John Charles Ardagh.
“Playgrounds have a unique ability to inspire children to push boundaries and gain confidence. Our goal is to design and build an inclusive adventure playground which kids will want to return to again and again to challenge themselves, make new friends and have fun.”
CAP.Co’s portfolio includes outdoor play facilities at prestigious heritage sites such as the National Maritime Museum, Blenheim Palace, and Windsor Great Park.
Inspiring a deeper connection
The team at Newhaven Fort hopes that the new adventure playground, which features vivid colours and a historical story throughout, will offer a stimulating play area for kids of all ages and skill levels and promote a deeper connection with the site’s past.
“We’re excited for work to begin to transform our playground space and we can’t wait to see the design become a reality, with lots of new areas for children to explore,” says Neil Harrison, head of commercial development at Wave Active, which operates Newhaven Fort.
“Our new adventure playground will be wheelchair accessible, with lots of accessible play features – we wanted to ensure there is something for everyone.”
Newhaven Fort will reopen in February 2025 after undergoing a significant renovation during 2024. In addition to the new adventure playground, visitors will have access to new interactive exhibits and previously unseen spaces, including a restored Battery Observation Post with breathtaking views over the sea.
The Romney Hut will be renovated to use as a year-round event facility for school activities, weddings, community events, and corporate hire. In addition, the Fort is undergoing essential repairs and maintenance to preserve its historical significance for future generations.
Earlier this month, CAP.Co shared details of its project for Bristol Zoo to design and build Explorers Basecamp, an adventure play area that seeks to inspire young conservationists to protect wildlife, the environment, and our future, supporting the new Zoo’s strategy to 2035.
