Ideas and Insights

Last week the Timberplay team had the pleasure of visiting Frasdorf, Germany - home of our partners at Richter Spielgeräte GmbH, where the breathaking Galleon, designed and created for the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Playground, is ready to begin its journey to Kensington Gardens.

Crafted predominantly from slow-grown mountain larch sourced from sustainably managed forests in the Bavarian Alps, the timber is naturally strong, rot-resistant and requires no chemical treatments. It’s a material perfectly suited to generations of adventurous play, and this new galleon replaces the original ship which, for 25 years, has stood the test of time…as well as the millions of children’s feet that have graced its boards!

Playground Renewal

The Galleon forms part of a renewal of the playground, alongside a new treehouse, redesigned water play and refreshed under-3s area, as part of the £3m renewal project.

Timberplay's Managing Director, Paul Collings, reflected on this amazing milestone in the life of Timberplay..

“The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Playground is undoubtedly one of the most famous playgrounds in the world — a destination play space that brings children together from across the globe, united in their desire to play.

Timberplay was immensely proud to have worked on the original space 25 years ago, and watching its reputation and popularity grow has been very gratifying.

This new Galleon and Treehouse will reinforce the space as a benchmark for public play, delighting millions of children for years to come.” 

We look forward to seeing the next phase of this project come to fruition, with the Galleon and Treehouse encampment set to arrive into Kensington Gardens in the coming weeks.  

Timberplay's 25th year is set to be one of landmark moments and world-leading playgrounds coming to life!

Image Credits: James Manning/PA / Gavin Repton