Finnish playground manufacturer Lappset has expanded its modular architectural range with the rollout of its Prime collection, aiming to capture a growing global market for bespoke and themed urban play spaces.
The collection, built around a design methodology the company terms “Smart Modularity”, introduces an updated component ecosystem and colour palette. The system is engineered to let landscape architects and municipal developers create site-specific, high-impact installations while bypassing the costly, elongated compliance cycles typically required for entirely custom engineering.
Creating large-scale, unique “showstoppers” is the dream of many a playground designer, but the process isn’t an easy one.
Balancing individual aesthetics with rigid safety regulations remains a persistent challenge in commercial landscape design. Tero Puotiniemi, Senior Concept Designer at Lappset, noted that combining novelty and modularity can be a challenge.
“When you’re building a one-of-a-kind product, modularity can be a hindrance because it is, by nature, repetitive,” Puotiniemi said. “When something is really customised to a high degree, you may want to avoid repetition.”
Prime is designed to meet the demand for bespoke and themed urban play spaces.
However, using pre-tested modular units as a foundational framework allows designers to build individualistic structures without compromising regulatory safety testing. The Prime range introduces interchangeable modules for roofs, walls, interactive play panels, balconies, and activity elements, allowing buyers to align installations with localised environments or corporate branding.
“We are able to leverage modularity and build something individualistic from that,” Puotiniemi said, adding that the use of modular units solves hassles involving safety and testing, since all Lappset modules are “fit for play”.
Demand for bespoke public spaces is rising as developers increasingly seek to establish distinctive architectural landmarks. Lappset, which entered the branded theme park sector in the 2010s through partnerships with intellectual properties including Lego and Peter Rabbit, has scaled its specialised design division to generate roughly 1,400 customised product variations annually. These range from minor modifications of catalogue items to complex structures, such as a tiger-themed installation for Finland’s Ranua Zoo and a landmark lighthouse structure in France. All these designs are included in the MyDesign service that Lappset provides for its clients.
Ville Kemppainen, Play Product Manager for Lappset, said mass-customised products represent a key growth vector for the Arctic Circle-based manufacturer.
The Prime playground collection introduces new modules for roofs, walls, play panels, balconies, and activity elements, as well as a new colour palette.
“Customisation is a clear focus area for us, since customers are very interested in leaving their own mark. Customisation – based on Prime modularisation – is the perfect way to achieve just that. The Prime playground collection introduces new modules for roofs, walls, play panels, balconies, and of course activity elements, as well as a completely new colour palette,” says Kemppainen.
Kemppainen said clients frequently request for a modification of standard product lines to fit a specific local narrative. “Sometimes you do have to work from scratch, but most design challenges can be solved using the existing product,” he added.
This underlying product logic is designed to maintain manufacturing efficiency while providing structural flexibility. The company has previously utilised its custom engineering processes to solve structural challenges, including re-engineering a massive suspension bridge for a development in China. After an initial prototype collapsed during extreme laboratory stress testing, the team reinforced the system to withstand the weight of a passenger car.
The resulting design has since been integrated into the company’s broader portfolio, rendering the advanced engineering available for standard global deployments. Company officials stated the Prime collection is intended to further this strategy, utilising modular systems to scale custom architectural layouts without compromising safety parameters.