spirit of the forest playground

Our playground design in Guanacaste is inspired by the Harpy Eagle, a majestic bird once present in Costa Rica and a powerful symbol for the Chorotega people, one of the country’s main Indigenous groups. For them, the eagle embodied balance in the ecosystem, physical strength, and deep spiritual connections that shaped their legends, rituals, and way of understanding nature.

The Harpy Eagle, one of the largest raptors in the world, can reach up to one meter in height and has wingspans close to two meters. Once soaring over Costa Rica’s forests, it is now extinct in the country.

The design carries this cultural and ecological heritage into the present. Through ludic and creative forms, it reimagines nature’s poetry in space and structure. Giant “eggs” rise as central elements — nests transformed into immersive environments where visitors can explore, learn, and dream.

This project is not just a playground, but a symbolic landscape: a place where cultural memory meets ecological storytelling, inspiring future generations while strengthening the bond between community, creativity, and history. It also highlights the value of ludic design — showing how playful, imaginative spaces can enrich daily life, spark creativity, and foster well-being for children, families, and communities alike.