Marshall Laing Primary School
A place that invites
play and connection.
Client:
Marshall Laing Primary School
Location:
Auckland
Marshall Lang Primary School, located in Lynfield, Auckland, had an outdoor area that wasn’t working for its students. It was a dull, grey space that went largely unused. Principal David White knew something had to change, particularly to help younger children transition smoothly from kindergarten to primary school.
In 2023, the school took action, transforming the space into a vibrant, engaging environment that their youngest students would love. The result was more than just a new playground—it was a game-changer for the entire school community.
Creating spaces that children love.
Before the upgrade, the play area simply didn’t resonate with the children. “It was quite a grey, drab area where our children never played,” says David White. But now? “Our children love being there. It’s always crowded at break times. It’s colourful, it’s vibrant, it’s bouncy, and it’s completely transformed the whole area.”
The standout feature? A series of mounds that have become the heart of the space. “The most popular feature would be the mounds,” David explains. “Children like jumping from one to the other. They also like sitting on them during playtimes and lunchtimes. In fact, I can’t walk past them without jumping on them as well.”
These mounds allow for flexibility. There’s no fixed way to play, so kids create their own games and activities, sparking their imagination and encouraging social interaction. This level of adaptability has made the space a true hit with students.
“We wanted to create a smoother transition for our youngest students from early childhood centers to school, and this space has done exactly that.”
Supporting emotional development.
The playground was designed with a deeper purpose in mind—helping students transition smoothly from vibrant, colourful kindergartens to the more structured environment of primary school. “Children often come from early childhood centres that are very vibrant and colourful, and sometimes they go into schools where it’s not like that,” David explains. “We wanted to create a softer transition between ECD and starting at Marshall Lang as a year one.”
By creating a space that feels welcoming and familiar, the new playground is helping students feel more comfortable as they begin their primary school journey.
"Children use these things for whatever they want. It’s not got a set purpose, and that’s really good for fitting in with children’s creativity."
A collaborative process.
For Marshall Lang Primary, the design process was as important as the end result. David White emphasised the importance of working closely with designers. “Creo had really good ideas, but they were excellent at listening to us and going along with our ideas about what we think could happen.”
This collaboration ensured the design wasn’t just functional but also suited the specific needs of the school. They even visited other schools with similar projects to gather inspiration, blending those ideas with their vision to create something truly special for their students.
The impact.
The transformation has been an undeniable success. What was once an underused space is now buzzing with energy and excitement every break time. It’s not just a playground—it’s a central part of the school’s community, where students of all ages come together to play, create, and explore.
Reflecting on the process, David White says, “We’re very, very happy with the product, and we’re actually looking at putting it in other areas of our school.”
