A portal into another world

The short answer

Wild Child Playspace is an interactive children's play space and art experience in Oakland, California. The Scale Collective worked with the founder to conceive the idea and led its interior design: portals between rooms, color as wayfinding, a ball pit inspired by terraced rice paddies and a cozy room with a sky space inspired by James Turrell. It brings together the work of many local artists and artisans.

Curved blue ball pit and vibrant walls in an underwater fantasy room — Wild Child Playspace, Oakland, by The Scale Collective

Location: Oakland, California
Type: Children's play space and art experience
Scope: Concept, interior design and visual language
Client: Ligaya Tichy
Architect: Rae & Heath

The story

Color, whimsy and scale

We worked closely with our client to conceive the idea of Wild Child and how to design and build it, so that every room fit the needs of the project and the visual language we created for it. Children and their parents are carried through portals into a fantasy world of interactive art, making and play.

That visual language uses soft curves and color, both to find your way and to set the mood of each room. It takes its cues from the great mid-century designers, above all Verner Panton and his immersive use of color.

The art and learning room stays in warm neutrals, with no color except the light through the windows, which shifts from warm to cool through the day and the year. The play area is drenched in blues, greens, pinks and purples, which ground the fun of the space in a sense of calm.

The ball pit curves like terraced rice paddies in South Asia, and the cozy room, all in mauve, has a sky space inspired by James Turrell. It is a small space made for curious children and their parents to wonder, dream, learn and grow.

The project

Inside Wild Child Playspace

Closeup of wood panels of the childrens portal connecting the two placepace and using color as wayfinding. Interior Design by Sara Alexander of The Scale Collective.

Bright color-blocked children's learning and play space — Wild Child Oakland designed by Sara Alexander of The Scale Collective

Closeup of art room where children can paint on the wall with water based paint. Wild Child Playspace, designed by Sara Alexander of The Scale Collective

Children's playspace in Oakland, Ca features an art room that has custom storage design, seating and whiteboard where kids can paint and learn with other children and teachers. Wild Child Designed by Sara Alexander of The Scale Collective.

Detail shot of infant play zone at Wild Child Playspace in Oakland featuring large carrot stuffed animal by Miami artist, color blocked windows and interactive toys children to play and learn with. Interior Design by Sara Alexander of The Scale Colle

Closeup of infant playspace featuring sourced vintage gaming controllers, a computer mouse, a circuit board, a pipe with valves, and other miscellaneous hardware items located at Wild Child Playspace in Oakland.

Two children lying on a soft, colorful play structure with large pink and green padded rails.

Closeup of a children;s tunnel to go between the art exhibits. The art exhibit acts as a portal between worlds. Designed by Sara Alexander of The Scale Collective.

Outdoor interactive children's art installation where children can inhabit a play structure made by artist Sofie Ramos. Designed by The Scale Collective, located in Oakland, CA

Closeup of a wavy multicolor portal for children to enter the immersive Wild Child Playspace. Design by Sara Alexander of The Scale Collective.

Interactive children's projection room that responds to kids movements located in at Wild Child play space in Oakland. Room features sticker forest wall and ball pit. Interior Design by The Scale Collective.

Colorful immersive children's playspace with curved ball pit and vibrant blue walls in an underwater fantasy at Wild Child Oakland. Interior Design by The Scale Collective, Architecture by Rae & Heath

Pink and purple -toned cozy listening and reading room for kids and parents, with James Turrell-inspired sky space in Wild Child Oakland playspace by The Scale Collective

Closeup of custom designed children's playspace featuring a blue ball pit resembling rippling waves of water at Wild Child in Oakland. Interior Design by The Scale Collective.

Design ideas

Portals between rooms
Color as wayfinding
Soft curves
Verner Panton–inspired color
Turrell-inspired sky space
Terraced ball pit
Work by local artists

Credits

Concept and interior design: The Scale Collective, led by Sara Alexander
Client: Ligaya Tichy
Architect: Rae & Heath
Drafting and design assistance: Brian Scharf
Fabrication: Jupitr Studios
Branding: Sharon McPeak
Photography: Anna Alexia

Questions

Good to know

What is Wild Child Playspace?

Wild Child Playspace is an interactive children's play space and art experience in Oakland, California, where children and their parents move through portals into rooms of interactive art, making and play.

What did The Scale Collective design at Wild Child Playspace?

The Scale Collective worked with the founder to conceive the project and led its interior design and visual language: the portals, the color palette for each room, the ball pit, the cozy room with its sky space and the art and learning room.

Do you design children's spaces?

Yes. Along with Wild Child Playspace, The Scale Collective designed the interiors of Wild Child Preschool, a play-based school in Oakland's Temescal neighborhood.

Next project

Squalo Vino

View the project