East End Community School, Mitchell and Associates, Portland, Maine

East End is an urban public school with about 450 students, and Mitchell and Associates' goal was to use uneven surfaces, texture and pattern on the playground to maximize the opportunities for kids to create their own games.  To realize this they had access to the city's stockpile of old brick, granite curbing and cobbles!  I think this is a great idea...I wonder how many other cities would let playground projects access their stockpiles?

The courtyard, shown boringly bare in the above 'before', is considered a reforestation project, and so was planted with herbaceous, understory and canopy plantings of native woodland species in which 'quiet spaces' are provided. 

[thanks, sashie!]