The idea came to textile artist Toshiko Horiuchi MacAdam when two children started climbing on one of her large crochet sculptures hanging at an exhibition. These colourful pieces of art were not intended to be interactive, but maybe these kids were on to something? Several years later, in partnership with engineers TIS Partners and landscape architects Takano Landscape Planning, she created her first crochet playscape. “All children can play together,” says Toshiko, “They do not have to be athletic, but can still use their whole bodies for fun – laughing, giggling and screaming. They have a great time together. Often older children help smaller children. They try to dazzle each other with their ingenious and acrobatic feats.”
Based in Nova Scotia, Canada, Toshiko is one of the world’s leading fibre artists. Using a Japanese material called Vinylon, she incorporates knitting, crochet and knot making into her large-scale, organic installations. In 1990, with her husband, Charles MacAdam, they established their own business: Interplay Design and Manufacturing. Their dazzling play spaces can be found throughout the world in locations such as: New Zealand, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore and Spain.
