Shek Lei Playground, a sculpture playground designed circa 1960s by the American artist, Paul
Selinger, was believed to be the first playground of its kind in Southeast Asia. It was revolutionary of its era, featuring abstract and unusual play structures over two metres high. At a time when local playgrounds are criticized for their homogeneity, such a bold past seems unimaginable. With the support of the M+ / Design Trust Research Fellowship, Ms Fan Lok Yi began a research on the history of Hong Kong’s playgrounds.
HKILA, jointly with Hong Kong Urban Laboratory, has invited Ms Fan to share with us her research findings, including the stories of Shek Lei Playground, other unique local playgrounds from 1970 to 1989, and playscape developments in global and local contexts. We have also invited experts from diverse backgrounds, including Evans Iu (Landscape Architect), Chris Yuen (Play Environment Consultant, Playright Children’s Play Association), Yuen Cheung-ming (Property Management) and Sampson Wong (Urbanist) for a dialogue on challenges and opportunities in making our playscape fun again.