Cultural heritage game Sandslån

About the project

The project Cultural heritage play aims to create a unique playground at Sandslån that strengthens children's connection to the area's history, while also developing a method to include children in cultural heritage work and place development. By involving children in the entire process – from idea to finished playground – the project aims to promote their sense of participation and pride in their place. It also highlights ecological sustainability by using reused and local materials. An additional purpose is to strengthen the relationships between Nyland School, Ådalen Industrial Museum, and the local community to make Sandslån a more attractive place to live and visit.

The project is carried out in three steps. The first step focuses on idea work through workshops with students from Nyland School. The children visit the site, explore its history, and contribute sketches, models, and proposals for the playground's design, with support from experts in landscape architecture, reuse, and sustainability. In the second step, the playground is built with the help of the project group, volunteers, and the children themselves, who participate in activities such as planting and painting. Finally, the process is documented in a film that spreads the project's method to community planners, schools, and other actors to inspire more projects that highlight children's role in cultural heritage work. The playground will be inaugurated in late summer 2026 and will become a meeting place that unites play, learning, and community.