Methodology
A Unique Approach to Play and Place
Want to co-collaborate with the Third Place Design team? Here’s what you can expect:
1. Human-Led Design, Not Product-Led Solutions
We begin with people and outcomes, not products. We co-design with the community and we anchor our designs in the lived experiences, needs and aspirations of the people who will use the space.
Why it’s different:
Most industry players retrofit catalogue equipment into a space. We design the spatial outcomes first—anchored in meaning, memory, movement and emotion—and then develop or curate bespoke elements to enhance it.
2. Signature Design Approach
At Third Place Design, everything starts with design. From the user experience to sculptural form and visual clarity, our concepts are driven by a strong creative vision, then resolved in partnership with our embedded engineering and fabrication teams to ensure they’re buildable, safe and enduring.
Why it’s different:
Engineering is essential—but it’s not the starting point. Too often, aesthetic detailing is lost in the name of efficiency, replaced with standardised components and visible fixings that dilute the design intent. We take a different approach. Our engineers don’t strip designs back, they bring them forward, resolving every element with precision so that architectural quality, usability and compliance work as one. This commitment to detail is what sets our work apart.
3. Designing for the Liminal Space
We actively design for the “in-between”; the spaces where identity, imagination, intergenerational connection and sensory integration occur. This includes designing transitions and holding space for dichotomies between nature and structure, between solitude and socialisation, between risk and refuge.
Why it’s different:
Others focus on fixed play typologies. We focus on transformative experiences that support cognitive, emotional and social development across all ages—particularly those often overlooked in standard playground design (e.g. teens, neurodiverse users, grandparents).
4. Curated Collections and Design Inspiration
We create design collections that reflect cultural narratives, aesthetic outcomes and answer developmental needs. These are launching platforms to inspire true customisation, not a catalogue of “themes”.
Why it’s different:
Other manufacturers use stylised add-ons or modular kits. Our work is deeply contextual and narrative-based, offering spatial storytelling and architectural cohesion that can’t be found in a catalogue.
5. Evidence-Informed Practice
Our design process is grounded in the latest research and a commitment to ongoing professional learning. We draw on the work of neuroscientists, occupational therapists, early childhood specialists and landscape architects to inform our methodology and continually challenge assumptions about what play should look, feel and mean in public space. This ensures our work stays aligned with emerging knowledge around child development, sensory integration, social inclusion and the evolving needs of communities.
Why it’s different:
While others are often driven by internal sales processes and catalogue solutions, our work is shaped by broader research, cross-disciplinary thinking and a commitment to human-centred design. This allows us to move beyond surface-level compliance to deliver spaces that are not only safe and functional, but deeply purposeful, inclusive and impactful.
6. Integrated Project Development from Concept to Advocacy and Beyond
We work with clients from early visioning and stakeholder engagement all the way through development approval support, concept design, documentation, fabrication and installation. We’re also play advocates—helping to justify investment with business cases, grant writing, and policy alignment.
Why it’s different:
Most others operate as vendors, focused on products and installation. We act as third place strategists and storytellers who champion the community’s vision at every step.
7. A Playground is an Output. Connection is the Outcome
We measure success by what happens between people within a space—not what’s in it. Inclusion, laughter, discovery, social interaction; our design process prioritises how we want people to feel in the space and what it invites them to become.
Why it’s different:
Others build playgrounds. We co-create third places; spaces that exist beyond home and work, where community identity is nurtured and belonging is built through shared and immersive experience.
Discover More About How We Can Bring Your Vision to Life
No matter if you’re envisioning a sculptural landmark, an inclusive playground, or a community hub, we’re here to make it a reality.