OLA Shanghai Designs Modular Playground for Lego and Nike at Baoshan Primary School

In a partnership between Lego and Nike, OLA Shanghai has developed a modular playground at Baoshan No 2 Central Primary School in northern Shanghai. This 550-square-meter project revitalized a dull courtyard with bright colors and eco-friendly materials. The flooring, made from 280,000 recycled shoes via Nike Grind technology, features vibrant gradients of red, orange, and yellow, separated by white lines reminiscent of athletic tracks akin to Nike's basketball courts. Physical play elements include orange monkey bars and a small mound with rounded fence-like structures, while lightweight blue blocks, inspired by Lego bricks, encourage creative play and are stored in perimeter cabinets. Red seating resembling Lego blocks with yellow studs enhances the area near the building's glazing. Nike highlighted that this playground merges sports functionality with imaginative play, utilizing recycled materials and vertical design to optimize the limited space. This installation marks Nike's 50th playground as part of their objective to establish 100 Nike Grind courts in China by 2030. Martin Lotti, Nike's chief design officer, recently noted that employing recycled materials is a more sustainable choice than designing for disassembly.