During our engagement process for the design of a Specialist Cerebral Palsy Centre in Haringey, one child requested a tree that grew milkshakes to be planted in the gardens – and so, The Milkshake Tree was born.
As part of the 2016 London Festival of Architecture, we worked in collaboration with pH+ Architects on this meanwhile installation to promote the important work of the London Centre for Children with Cerebral Palsy (LCCCP). The innovative structure and sensory garden acted as a platform to share, engage and educate the general public on inclusive environments that help to stimulate and support growth.
The Milkshake Tree distilled our design work on LCCCP’s planned Specialist Centre: a microcosm of a fully immersive playscape which the public could enjoy. We focused on the use of LCCCP’s Conductive Education techniques, turning all parts of a child’s day into an immersive learning situation – providing opportunities to practice emerging skills not only during school, but also in the many interconnecting parts of their day.
The installation was built by pH+, BD and collaborators at Peninsula Square, next door to the O2 in Greenwich. Walking up the accessible entrance ramp, children and adults alike were invited to play the musical walkway using a giant xylophone, partly enclosed by a timber screen. Reflective cladding and swaying grasses added to the multisensory experience, with a kids-only den in the heart of the installation centred around an Amelanchier tree.
As well as being a great chance to test the principles of Conductive Learning in landscape, it was fantastic to see hundreds of passers-by play through the installation and celebrate the importance of inclusive design.
“As a temporary pavilion, it acted as a platform to share and educate the public on environments that help to stimulate, heal and support growth for children with Cerebral Palsy.”
Andy Puncher (Lateral Growing Communities)
