Izabela Boloz, 2016

Ds. W.E. den Hertogschool, Luxemburgstraat 7, The Hague

Location: Ds. W.E. den Hertogschool, Luxemburgstraat 7, The Hague
Installed: October 2016

Decisions about how to use the available space for an art commission are not always easy to make. Inside a school building there are many interfering objects, like coat racks, fire hoses and lamps. They make the space look much smaller than on the blueprints. And the outdoor space too is often full of playground equipment and street furniture. Some time ago already the students of the Ds. W.E. den Hertogschool expressed a wish for new playground climbing equipment. They even organized a marathon to collect the necessary funds. Children of various ages were elected to be part of the Art Committee. They selected Izabela Boloz, an artist/designer who was born in Poland, but who lives and works in the Netherlands, after graduating from the Design Academy in Eindhoven.

Fascinated by human behaviour, Izabela Boloz uses design to engage people. Geometric Gardens was made to stir the children's imagination, providing diverse opportunities for creative play. Part of the brief of this project was to engage the children - the main users of this public installation - as much as possible in the process from beginning to end. They gave requirements, chose concepts and proposed improvements during the design process. The result is a work that references traditional playgrounds created from steel pipes but at the same time has a contemporary appearance. The emphasis is on the natural environment, created both by the round shape of the structure as well as the shades of green. It resembles an abstract garden.
 
The work is made up of 22 poles from powder coated galvanized steel and consists of a raised platform and climbers. This platform can be reached by climbing up the basic elements and creates a space to play. Children can go back to the ground by sliding on bent sliding pipes. Beneath the platform is a cozy, shaded space in which children can run and hide, consisting of small square shelters. The ground plan is a circle (6 meter diameter) with connecting basic geometric shapes. The flat elements have perforated patterns, creating a game of light and shadows.

http://izabelaboloz.com

Izabela Boloz, raised platform and climbers at Ds. W.E. den Hertogschool
photo: Sander Foederer, courtesy Stroom Den Haag
Izabela Boloz, raised platform and climbers at Ds. W.E. den Hertogschool
photo: Sander Foederer, courtesy Stroom Den Haag
Izabela Boloz, raised platform and climbers at Ds. W.E. den Hertogschool
photo: Sander Foederer, courtesy Stroom Den Haag
Izabela Boloz, raised platform and climbers at Ds. W.E. den Hertogschool
photo: Sander Foederer, courtesy Stroom Den Haag
Izabela Boloz, raised platform and climbers at Ds. W.E. den Hertogschool
photo: Sander Foederer, courtesy Stroom Den Haag
Izabela Boloz, raised platform and climbers at Ds. W.E. den Hertogschool
photo: Sander Foederer, courtesy Stroom Den Haag