Ten miles east of Los Angeles at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains, Temple City sought to upgrade its aging parks and existing playgrounds into safe and welcoming spaces for community members of all ages. SWA worked with the city to host a community engagement workshop focused on renovating two city playgrounds: Live Oak Park, the city’s largest park, spanning 16 acres with a community center and recreation spaces, and Temple City Park, located at the civic core, hosting the community’s largest event: Camellia Festival. More than 400 residents shared their preferences through community polling, helping guide the design themes and types of play elements. Based on this input, SWA developed two distinct concepts that celebrate recreation and art: one inspired by space exploration and the other by a bamboo forest.

At Live Oak Park, a new space-themed playground re-energizes the park’s northeast corner, honoring the site’s history and appealing to both children and older generations. A 35-foot-tall rocket ship climbing structure serves as the centerpiece, surrounded by six distinct play zones where children can embark on their cosmic adventures. Sculptural shade structures encircle the playground, creating an otherworldly space for comfortable seating and picnic areas for both guardians and kids. Play elements were thoughtfully arranged to offer a variety of physical and sensory challenges to support growth and discovery. Grading and topography introduced climbing mounds and improved accessibility, ensuring inclusiveness for all. The existing fitness zone was relocated closer to the Live Oak Park walking path, enhancing the wellness loop and inviting users to use the machines during their daily exercise routines.

At Temple City Park, a nature-inspired Bamboo Forest playground complements the park’s mature trees and expansive green lawns. Despite a compact footprint, the playground maximizes play value with a vertical net climber, slide, swings, and sensory panels, all unified with a custom safety surface design that reinforces the natural theme. SWA refreshed the adjacent picnic shelter and added native plants to the park, creating a visual and physical safety barrier for playground users and the adjacent parking lot.