Playgrounds & Toys 2000–2025, a collection by Art for the World, curated by Adelina Von Fürstenberg.
Thanks to the recent donation of Playgrounds & Toys to the Benaki Museum, it is presented in Athens for the first time. The ‘Playgrounds & Toys’ exhibition aims to highlight the importance of play as a formative and restorative activity that consolidates social bonds and promotes inclusion through collective action.
The donation provided the occasion for its presentation in an exhibition of the same name, marking a milestone in the development of the project.
The exhibition presents 60 original models of playgrounds and toys, designed by artists and architects from around the world. Using simple, accessible materials, the project approaches play as a means of learning, communication, and inclusion, with particular emphasis on children growing up in difficult economic or social conditions.
The design concept was inspired by the thinking of Isamu Noguchi, who described playgrounds as “primers of shapes and functions.” Treating them as small, evolving universes, a flexible visual system was developed based on the square—a structural framework that organizes the title and exhibition material through a strict grid, with rhythm, balance, and a sense of playfulness.
The color palette was selected to convey a contemporary, international aesthetic, avoiding the expected stereotypes of children’s design while reinforcing the institutional character of the permanent identity.
