It’s Play Week on Curbed

School’s out, kids want to play! But it’s not just kids, and it’s not just during summer. Play—and all the associated senses of discovery, wonder, and spontaneity—is a vital part of our everyday experience of the built environment. That’s especially true in cities, and perhaps more so than we realize.

That’s why this week on Curbed, we’re turning the spotlight on all things urban recreation, from parks and playgrounds to more obscure points of interests.

On the flagship site, we’ll highlight specific examples of playful architecture and design (Treehouses! Boardwalks! Otherworldly installations!), as well as investigate the larger effects of recreation on real estate, urban planning, and civic engagement.

And across Curbed’s network of city sites, Play Week will seek to inform and delight. In addition to roundups of the best places for hosting outdoor events and getting good Instagrams, each city site will celebrate the things in its area that make it uniquely fun, whether that’s a super niche museum or a roving community circus.

To follow along, stay tuned to the Play Week hub, where new stories will be added each day. Let’s go!