Playscapes: Isamu Noguchi's Designs for Play

Abstract

To Isamu Noguchi, the design of public spaces was a means to bring sculpture into the context of everyday living. Noguchi is well known for his significant artistic achievements in the civic sphere, but his distinctive designs for playgrounds are a less realized aspect of this larger sculptural practice. With few of Noguchi's remarkably innovative playground and play sculpture designs brought to fruition, his impact on the field of playground design remains largely unexplored. Furthermore, as this body of work was originally created as a key part of Noguchi's philosophical position on sculpture and environments, the importance of these works relative to his legacy in public art is significant. An account of Noguchi's playgrounds and their historical context provides a new perspective on the artist's unique role within the evolving history of public art.