Swinburne Alum designs playgrounds for a living

Trusting the process

Although his subject matter has dramatically changed over time, Steve maintains a passion for implementing consistent, well thought out designs.

“My focus is thinking of and designing a concept that can be delivered,” he said. 

“You can draw or 3D model anything you want, but if you're not taking into account the physics, manufacturing costs, user experience, playground standards, stakeholders and requirements, then it's nothing more than a nice image.

“I take a lot of satisfaction from delivering something that is, almost exactly, what I had drawn at the concept stage.”

More than a playground

Designing unique-looking items for stakeholders and creating spaces that families will love is a balancing act that Steve keeps front of mind.

“I love that each of my designs are one-off concepts that integrate and work with the topography, theme and story of each project.”

“Twenty years ago, most people lived in a house that had a backyard, now the reliance on public spaces is certainly increasing,” he said. 

Steve likes to think these spaces can inspire the next generation of kids to see what’s possible and to push boundaries.

“We want to build visually engaging playgrounds that our clients are proud to see in their communities. But what I love about my work is knowing the end customer is the general public, and these products are for everyone to enjoy.

“I think there's something really special about working on such unique and exciting designs that are open for use by everyone. It’s an honour to be involved in shaping the environment to engage the community and bring people together.”