{"id":1817826,"date":"2026-03-10T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-09T21:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1817826"},"modified":"2026-03-10T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2026-03-09T21:00:00","slug":"an-animated-look-at-noguchis-experimental-playgrounds-that-were-never-built","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1817826","title":{"rendered":"An Animated Look at Noguchi\u2019s Experimental Playgrounds That Were Never Built"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"entry-content prose-colossal max-w-none\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull is-style-default entry-header is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-fe9cc265 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"colo-post-featured-image wp-block-post-featured-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"720\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/noguchi.gif\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"a gif of a triangular swingset designed by noguchi\" style=\"object-fit:cover\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">All images courtesy of The Noguchi Museum<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group post-title is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-0bc941e6 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<h1 class=\"alignfull wp-block-post-title\">An Animated Look at Noguchi\u2019s Experimental Playgrounds That Were Never Built<\/h1>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull post-meta is-layout-flex wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-date\"><time datetime=\"2026-03-10T08:12:42-05:00\">March 10, 2026<\/time><\/div>\n<div class=\"taxonomy-category wp-block-post-terms\"><a class=\"category-animation\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/category\/animation\/\" rel=\"tag\">Animation<\/a><a class=\"category-design\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/category\/design\/\" rel=\"tag\">Design<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author-name\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/author\/gebert\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"wp-block-post-author-name__link\">Grace Ebert<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull post-share-group is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-6c531013 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing has-visible-labels has-icon-color is-style-logos-only is-layout-flex wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-is-layout-flex\">\n<li style=\"color: #1c1e0d\" class=\"outermost-social-sharing-link outermost-social-sharing-link-facebook has-crow-color wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thisiscolossal.com%2F2026%2F03%2Fisamu-nogushi-animated-unbuilt-playgrounds%2F&amp;title=An%20Animated%20Look%20at%20Noguchi%27s%20Experimental%20Playgrounds%20That%20Were%20Never%20Built\" aria-label=\"Share\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-anchor\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-label \"><br \/>\n\t\t\tShare\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"color: #1c1e0d\" class=\"outermost-social-sharing-link outermost-social-sharing-link-mail has-crow-color wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/cdn-cgi\/l\/email-protection#6f501c1a0d050a0c1b522e014a5d5f2e0106020e1b0a0b4a5d5f230000044a5d5f0e1b4a5d5f2100081a0c07064a5d581c4a5d5f2a171f0a1d06020a011b0e034a5d5f3f030e16081d001a010b1c4a5d5f3b070e1b4a5d5f380a1d0a4a5d5f210a190a1d4a5d5f2d1a06031b490e021f540d000b16522e014a5d5f2e0106020e1b0a0b4a5d5f230000044a5d5f0e1b4a5d5f2100081a0c07064a5d581c4a5d5f2a171f0a1d06020a011b0e034a5d5f3f030e16081d001a010b1c4a5d5f3b070e1b4a5d5f380a1d0a4a5d5f210a190a1d4a5d5f2d1a06031b4a5d5f4a2a5d4a575f4a565b4a5d5f071b1b1f1c4a5c2e4a5d294a5d29181818411b07061c061c0c0003001c1c0e03410c00024a5d295d5f5d594a5d295f5c4a5d29061c0e021a420100081a1c0706420e0106020e1b0a0b421a010d1a06031b421f030e16081d001a010b1c4a5d29\" aria-label=\"Email\" class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-anchor\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-label \"><br \/>\n\t\t\tEmail\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><button class=\"simplefavorite-button preset\" data-postid=\"470942\" data-siteid=\"1\" data-groupid=\"1\" data-favoritecount=\"0\"><i class=\"sf-icon-bookmark\"><\/i>Bookmark<\/button>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cI think of playgrounds as a primer of shapes and functions; simple, mysterious and evocative; thus educational,\u201d Isamu Noguchi said in a pamphlet about his <em>Playscapes<\/em>. Perhaps best known for his stone sculptures and <a href=\"https:\/\/shop.noguchi.org\/collections\/akari-light-sculptures\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Akari lamps<\/a>, the Japanese artist and designer always had an eye on the spaces that define childhood, particularly public playgrounds and their influence on the young mind.<\/p>\n<p>In 1933, Noguchi proposed redeveloping an entire New York City block into \u201cPlay Mountain,\u201d an enormous topographical project that would be unstructured and open-ended. Rather than have swings and swift metal slides, for example, Noguchi wanted earthen steps, a bandshell, and a large hill for sledding and gathering. The idea was that it could be just as fun in the winter as in the summer and stimulate kids\u2019 imaginations more than the prescriptive equipment typical in urban parks. Then-Parks Commissioner Robert Moses rejected the plan, though, and despite efforts to have the project and others of Noguchi\u2019s designs built in New York, none were ever realized in the city.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>A series of short animations recreates this lesser-known history. Using hand-painted celluloid under a <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Rostrum_camera\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Rostrum camera<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/eastendwestern.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Eastend Western<\/a> imagines what these never-built playgrounds would have looked like\u2014and how children may have interacted with the unconventional structures. There are concrete mounds with cavernous openings, labyrinthine sand gardens, and asymmetrical equipment that could teach users that \u201cthe rate of swing is determined by the length of the pendulum,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=XDFV6xOKhxw&amp;list=PLjjwFd0wbYEi2PcyVJJR8B3Us2k27aetX&amp;index=2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">the film says<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The animations were produced in conjunction with the exhibition <em>Noguchi\u2019s New York<\/em>, which is on view through September 13 at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.noguchi.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Noguchi Museum<\/a>. There\u2019s also a new monograph that dives into the artist\u2019s playgrounds and is a companion to a major retrospective at the High Museum of Art, available for pre-order on <a href=\"https:\/\/bookshop.org\/a\/96\/9780847876198\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Bookshop<\/a>. Find the full film series on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=XDFV6xOKhxw&amp;list=PLjjwFd0wbYEi2PcyVJJR8B3Us2k27aetX&amp;index=2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">YouTube<\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/noguchi-1.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-470942\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1722\" height=\"1308\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/noguchi-1.jpg\" alt=\"a still of children standing in a gray landscape while it rains\" class=\"wp-image-470954\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<aside class=\"after-entry\" role=\"complementary\" aria-label=\"After Entry\">\n<section id=\"block-16\" class=\"widget widget_block widget_text\">\n<p><mark style=\"background-color:#88caf0\" class=\"has-inline-color\"><strong>Do stories and artists like this matter to you?<\/strong><\/mark> Become a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/members\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"118516\">Colossal Member<\/a> now, and support independent arts publishing.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"block-17\" class=\"widget widget_block\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-top is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-top member-benefits is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Hide advertising<\/li>\n<li>Save your favorite articles<\/li>\n<li>Get 15% off in the <a href=\"https:\/\/colossal.shop\/\">Colossal Shop<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Receive members-only newsletter<\/li>\n<li>Give 1% for art supplies in K-12 classrooms<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-top member-options is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-fe9cc265 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Join us today!<\/h3>\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-horizontal is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-crow-color has-verdigris-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/colossal.memberful.com\/checkout?plan=113464\">$7\/month<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-crow-color has-verdigris-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/colossal.memberful.com\/checkout?plan=113463\">$75\/year<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-crow-color has-chalk-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/members\/\">Explore membership options<img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"20\" height=\"21\" class=\"wp-image-327872\" style=\"width: 20px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/arrow-left.svg\" alt><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/aside>\n<nav class=\"navigation post-navigation\" role=\"navigation\">\n<div class=\"nav-links\">\n<div class=\"nav-previous\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/2026\/03\/olayami-dabls-african-bead-museum-detroit\/\" rel=\"prev\">Next article<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/nav><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>All images courtesy of The Noguchi Museum An Animated Look at Noguchi\u2019s Experimental Playgrounds That Were Never Built March 10, 2026 AnimationDesign Grace Ebert Share Email Bookmark \u201cI think of playgrounds as a primer of shapes and functions; simple, mysterious and evocative; thus educational,\u201d Isamu Noguchi said in a pamphlet about his Playscapes. Perhaps best [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,270],"class_list":["post-1817826","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-thisiscolossal-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1817826","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1817826"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1817826\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1817826"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1817826"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1817826"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}