#PlayHouzz

The Lookout is a playhouse that brings dynamic to traditional backyard games. Instead of a playhouse where the activities take place on the interior only, this playhouse takes a look at how it can be used to supplement existing adventure games. The games considered in this design are: Tag with a “safe-base”, Ghosts in the Graveyard, Hide-and-Seek with a “safe-base,”Capture the Flag, and Good Guys vs. Bad Guys. The playhouse can be used for “base,”a meeting point for team-games, home-base, or as a guard station for defend-type games. The form of the playhouse makes it easy for kids to run around it and doesn’t give prominence to any one face. On the inside, there are a few skewed walls that provide a small challenge before being able to access the ladder. The first level also has a few opened-slots that allows someone from the inside to observe their surroundings, but be hidden by walls. Once the second level is reached, extra look-out slots are provided and the elevated platform gives children the ultimate ability to view the games happening outside. Even further a roof-hatch opens so the child leading or directing any adventure-mission can get a full-360 degree view and have a better ability to talk to other people in the area for directions.

The adventure of this playhouse is experienced from both inside and outside, as a form of retreat, observation, leading, and advancement. The adventure of the games becomes embedded in the playhouse design. (Team submission of Taylor Schaub & Tyler Baldwin)