Sustainable schoolyards for the future
| Reference number | |
| Coordinator | MALMÖ KOMMUN - Miljöförvaltningen |
| Funding from Vinnova | SEK 429 275 |
| Project duration | July 2014 - January 2015 |
| Status | Completed |
Purpose and goal
The competition ´Sustainable schoolyards for the future´ has increased the chances for children and youth to get access to good outdoor environments. Eleven competition entries showed innovative and sustainable solutions for pedagogical as well as physical conditions, such as biodiversity, non-toxic materials and the possibility to play. In addition, several entries have a holistic approach towards designing schoolyards, where students and staff would be involved as co-creators. The competition has increased the cooperation and engagement for the quality of schoolyards.
Results and expected effects
The competition has contributed to engaging stakeholders both within and outside the municipality in the importance of good quality schoolyards, increasing their status. Some of the ideas, concepts and solutions from the competition are being used in the development of a tool to evaluate the quality of schoolyards. The long term effects of the project are expected to be an increased quality of the outdoor environment for children and youth, suitable for a modern, dense, green and sustainable city.
Approach and implementation
The implementation of the competition was successful and led to increased cooperation. A project group with members from several units within the municipality as well as scientists contributed strongly to making the competition a success. The jury had plenty of time to judge the entries which meant the discussions and mutual understanding could evolve in a very rewarding way for the participants. The communication efforts and a very professional competition program contributed to drawing attention to sustainable schoolyards.