Modern Play Structures: Tall Towers and Cubes

When you think of a playground, you probably picture something traditional: slides, swings, and plastic structures to climb on. But, like in any other industry, innovation is critical. 

So, what makes a modern playground actually “modern”? Let’s take a look at some modern playground equipment and how you can use it to design a playground that stands out in your community.

How to Design a Modern Playground

Designing a modern playground depends on the type of playground equipment you choose! Among the many options are play towers and play cubes. These beautiful structures represent next-level, architectural modern playground equipment that will capture the attention of kids and adults alike. They also provide a different way for kids to build physical strength, balance, coordination, and social skills.

Benefits of Modern Play Structures

The modularity of towers, cubes, and various shapes and colors create a world of different design options for your play space. For example, cubes can be stacked on top of one another and filled with swings, nets, and balancing balls. Kids can cozy up high in the cube in a birds’ nest seat or stand on top of a balancing ball. 

Want to get extra creative? Tunnels and slides can be attached to cubes, so you can expand the cube horizontally if space is not an issue for your project. You can have two sets of towers and add ropes, nets, climbers, activity panels, and slides to bring your space to life. You can also add all these pieces vertically if you do not have room to add elements to the side of your cube or tower. Because these structures can help save space, they’re great for projects in smaller areas.

Additionally, play towers and cubes are also beneficial for: 

• Creating a stunning local landmark that drives people to your playground
• Letting kids see the world from a bird’s eye view, giving them a sense of achievement and building their confidence
• Helping improve strength and coordination through balance 
• Building a custom or themed playground due to the customization options available 
• Staying sustainable by using ecological and environmentally friendly resources like wood and other renewable natural resources 
• Providing a challenging adventure that kids and adults will never forget 
• Bringing the community together in a structure that’s unlike anything else

Types of Modern Playground Equipment

At MRC, we work with the best partners to offer modern playground equipment, specifically towers and cubes. Here are more specific details on each: 

Play Towers

For play towers, we have many pre-configured options and can even help you create your tower entirely from scratch. Some of our more popular towers worth noting are made from sustainable wood. Our gorgeous Nordic wood towers are made with a strong focus on modern architectural design, appealing to young and old. They feature numerous adaptation possibilities, paneling options that bring pops of color, or transparent panels that allow greater access to the visibility of the inside. These functional landmarks appeal to nature, blending harmoniously with trees and flora. Our wood is harvested with sustainability as a priority, making the natural appeal more than an aesthetic. Our line of Flora play pieces are made with curved shapes and edges that mimic the atmosphere of the forest. Most importantly, the trees that our wood comes from are from PEFC-certified forests!

You can opt for our Atlus Towers if you want something more traditional or completely customized. Your Atlus Tower can exist in a small footprint or be built into a vast multi-tower project! Start with a standard configuration, then choose your panels, roofs, slides, stairs, and climbers in vibrant colors and styles. We also have pre-configured types provided for your convenience. You can even add a theme inspired by your community. We create hand-molded custom artwork with our design team, so your modern space is sure to dazzle. 

Play Cubes

We partner with Lappset to offer modern play cubes called “Halo.” Halo Cubic play towers and cubes are award-winning and highly functional. Cubic modules are designed to match gracefully and are made with only the highest quality pine, steel, plastics, and laminates. If visibility is a concern, see-through panels can be used on the sides of cubes. Or, you can mix transparent paneling with opaque colored panels or wood panels. Wooden play cubes, like our play towers, are made from tight-grain Finnish wood from PEFC-certified forests and stand up to harsh winters to the southern sun and humid coastlines. They also make it feel as if you’re playing in a forest! 

The Halo Diamond play cubes introduce an entirely new, fascinating play experience. Everyone who tries it says you must climb inside to understand it yourself. This unique play cube is not sitting flat on the ground. It is standing on one of its corner tips! Your ability to balance and navigate is tested, providing one of the most challenging and fun play experiences you’ll ever get. 

Examples of Modern Playgrounds and Structures

Reading about the magic and wonder of modern structures like play towers and cubes is one thing. Seeing them is another! We invite you to browse our gallery to see real-life examples of modern playgrounds. Then, when you’re ready, we want to work with you and your community to choose or create the tower and cube playground of your wildest dreams. Whether it’s a modular cube design with natural wood, a bright and bold Atlus Tower made just for you, or a preconfigured design you can get started with ASAP,  we’re here to help!