TEND was selected by the Trust for Public Lands (TPL) to develop a play and educationally rich schoolyard for the John H. Taggart School. The multicultural public school is in the Whitman neighborhood of South Philadelphia and has over 450 students from 20 countries speaking over 10 different languages. TEND worked closely with the TPL staff and the project partners, School District of Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Water Department, to develop and detail the concept plan TPL generated with the school community during their 12-week participatory design process. The project brings active play structures for mixed ages and abilities, an outdoor classroom and performance stage, a stormwater practice paired with an artificial turf field and gardens that are oriented to receive rain, produce food crops and provide a rich exploratory habitat. The schoolyard serves as a multi-benefit urban park serving student needs during the school day and open to the public for use during off hours.
