Client: The Touched By Olivia Foundation
Brief: Create a one-of-a-kind sculpture for TBO’s world-famous playground Livvi’s Place
Children’s Charity The Touched By Olivia (TBO) Foundation is the force behind Livvi’s Place – the internationally-heralded, all-ability playground popping up in parks all over the country. With help from leading playground experts, disability specialists, architects and early childhood academics, Livvi’s Place was uniquely designed so that all children, regardless of their ability, can play side-by-side.
The TBO Foundation approached BKI during the construction of the first Livvi’s Place in Five Dock’s Timbrell Park, NSW. The brief was to create a one-of-a-kind sculpture to sit at the entry of the playground. Inspired by the extraordinary play space and the foundation’s butterfly logo, BKI created the Jewel in the Sky sculpture.
From many angles the sculpture appears disjointed and abstract, but when you come to one focal point in front of the five-planar assembly it transforms – the seemingly irrelevant pieces suddenly come together to form a beautiful butterfly that is flying amongst the green hills above a river bridged by a yellow brick road with colourful, dangling fruits cast from tinted, transparent resin.
Big or small the sculpture greets everyone who enters with a cheery burst of vibrant colour from its perch atop the entry gate of this magnificent playground.
This September, Livvi’s Place in Timbrell Park was named the best play space in the country by Parks and Leisure Australia. The original playground has just celebrated its first birthday last November and there are 29 more Livvi’s Places planned for parks around the country.
The original sculpture has been so well received that Big Kahuna has just sent off a second Jewel in the Sky for a Livvi’s Place located at Victoria Park in Dubbo, NSW. These projects were great opportunities to showcase Big Kahuna’s more artistic side and we can’t wait to do more!
