For years, the playground on Bolomeystraat in Eindhoven has been a place where children play, exercise, and neighbours come together. But the existing play equipment had become outdated and no longer met modern safety or accessibility standards.
Because of its generous size, however, the site offered great potential for renewal. The vision was clear: a safe, sustainable, and inclusive playground where children with and without disabilities can play together.
“It was really time for renewal,” says BOERplay advisor Sander Maassen, who was closely involved in the project. “The equipment had reached the end of its technical lifespan, but the location had so much potential. We wanted to design something that invites, excites, and truly adds value to the neighbourhood.”
The client, the Municipality of Eindhoven, places a strong focus on inclusion. Their vision was a place where all children can play together — regardless of their abilities. In 2020, nine-year-old Thijn from Eindhoven came up with an idea for a school project: a wheelchair slide that would allow children to slide down safely and independently while staying in their wheelchair. His idea received national attention and inspired many people. When the playground on Bolomeystraat was scheduled for renewal and transformed into an inclusive play space, it became the perfect opportunity to make Thijn’s dream come true. When Lucas Rijnders, Manager of Design and Development at BOERplay, heard about Thijn’s idea, he immediately saw potential. While many manufacturers hesitated because of safety challenges, Lucas saw it as an opportunity. “I love challenges,” he said. “This is something we can make.” Working closely with Thijn and his parents, Lucas developed the design for what would become the world’s first wheelchair slide. “Thijn was so enthusiastic about the design,” Lucas recalls. To make the slide truly inclusive, Lucas added a regular slide as well. “If only wheelchair users can go down, then it’s not really inclusive,” he explains. “My goal was to make the wheelchair section the most fun part of the entire structure — so much fun that other children would want to borrow the wheelchair just to try it. And I think we succeeded.” Of course, a single slide doesn’t make a playground. That’s where BOERplay’s landscape designers come in — creating a space that’s both beautiful and enjoyable for every child. “For me as a designer, it was a great challenge to integrate the SpeelThijnbaan naturally into the Bolomeystraat area. Because children in wheelchairs must be able to reach the top independently, I had to carefully consider the slope of the access ramp. This meant a longer ramp with resting platforms, which we seamlessly incorporated into the surroundings. Since the terrain already needed elevation, we used that to connect it with the start of the cableway.” At the end of the slide, Sara added extra play value. Combined with the traffic play area, the result is a truly inclusive playground with something for every child. The rest of the playground was filled with a mix of new and existing play equipment to create a cohesive whole. The design follows the 100/70/50 principle for accessible play: The result is a colourful, playful landscape that combines challenge, imagination, and accessibility. In addition to the wheelchair slide, the playground includes a traffic circuit, spider stones over water, a robust ROCKS combination, various swings, an inclusive nest swing, a nijntje sand play unit accessible for wheelchairs, and a thrilling cableway for extra excitement.“We aimed for the right balance between adventure and accessibility,” says Sander. “Not every piece of equipment has to be wheelchair accessible, as long as the playground as a whole offers something for every child.” Sustainability was also part of the plan. “Several pieces of equipment that were still in good condition were reused,” Sander adds. To make sure the design truly reflected the community’s wishes, BOERplay also helped facilitate neighbourhood participation. Local residents were asked what kind of playground they wanted, what play values mattered most, and what look and feel suited the area best. The team also checked whether children with disabilities lived nearby and how their needs could be taken into account. Based on all this input, BOERplay developed the design for the playground. The opening of the playground was a special moment. After five years, Thijn was finally able to open his very own SpeelThijnbaan — and in the best possible way: by sliding down himself in his wheelchair. After the official opening, children from the nearby primary school immediately took over the playground with laughter and excitement. The wheelchair slide was a little intimidating at first, but as the day went on, more and more children dared to give it a try. The opening of the playground was a special moment. After five years, Thijn was finally able to open his very own SpeelThijnbaan — and in the best possible way: by sliding down himself in his wheelchair. After the official opening, children from the nearby primary school immediately took over the playground with laughter and excitement. The wheelchair slide was a little intimidating at first, but as the day went on, more and more children dared to give it a try.A Playground for Everyone
The SpeelThijnbaan: The World’s First Wheelchair Slide
Everything Comes Together in the Design
Landscape designer Sara van Mourik worked on the project and explains:
The Neighbourhood Decides
A Festive Opening Full of Joy and Attention
A Festive Opening Full of Joy and Attention
