a playground among the olive trees
Cheshm Cheran Bazi Playground by ZAV Architects winds through a huge olive grove in Minoudasht, northeast Iran. Next to the Cheshm Cheran building, a farm complex completed by the studio in 2017 for guest accommodation and collective farming activities. playground extends the project into the orchard through an elevated network of platforms, bridges, steps and play elements.
The bright yellow floor cuts through the silvery green trees, while deep red steel frames trace curving paths throughout the grove. The structure moves around the trunks, rises to the canopy and falls back to the ground, keeping the orchard present from every angle.
the playground goes through a huge olive grove in Iran. image © DJI
a rural grid becomes architecture
THE group at ZAV Architects constructed the playground out of an existing metal grid that was once used for arboriculture training. The fixed positions of the trees, the use of the farm and the geometry of the grid shaped the design, giving the project its characteristic rhythm.
The circular platforms are at various heights, some hanging from the frame and others resting underneath. Together, they form a continuous path that twists through the trees and climbs towards the main building. The playground becomes part walkway, part viewing deck and part climbing structure.
Perforated plastic flooring was developed with local artisans and local manufacturers. Its open surface lets air, light and shade through, enhancing the connection between the deck, tree canopy and ground.
Slides, swings, trampolines and spinning surfaces appear along the course. Children move between circular platforms, mesh railings, spiral staircases and suspended walkways, with each play element being worked into greater traffic.
ZAV Architects constructed the project from an existing agricultural metal mesh. image © DJI
light structure, lively presence
The playground uses locally available metal profiles formed by rolling techniques. This gives the platforms their rounded edges and keeps the system light and modular. Red steel outlines the structure, while the yellow deck makes the route easy to read from above and into the grove.
Underlying, the project has a clear infrastructural character. Columns, beams, stairs and circular decks create shaded pockets below the elevated walkways, where suspended seating and gathering spaces extend down to ground level.
The Cheshm Cheran Bazi Playground extends Farsh Farm’s role as a place of cultivation, accommodation and communal activity. It gives children and visitors an immediate way to inhabit the orchard through movement, height and touch.
circular platforms rise and curve around the trees. image © Parham Taghioff, Persia Photography Center
The yellow perforated floor brings a bright, picturesque path through the grove. image © Parham Taghioff, Persia Photography Center
red steel railings line the path keeping the view open. image © Parham Taghioff, Persia Photography Center
