Final Research - Mike Hewson - Updated

Embracing risk is really just part of embracing life.
That’s why it is important to encourage exploratory and risk-taking behaviour in an everyday public setting. We can’t put handrails around everything and even if we could I don’t think it would really benefit us.

Mike Hewson

Rock on Wheels - Mike Hewson

 Mike Hewson is a New Zealand artist with a background in structural engineering and heavy civil construction who created "Risk Play" public playground in Milbourn, Australia. His concept came from fake rocks on wheels transported on furniture dollies at Disneyland in 1962 and immortalised by Diane Arbus (Kirk, M., 2023).

Rock on Wheels - Diane Arbus

But what could be so risky at kids playground? The installation is made of 24 rough bluestone boulders, the same material the whole area is build of (Alluzzi, V., 2023). The whole construction seem to look loosely lied on dollies and each of the rocks connected with each other with ropes, ladders, bars, etc. There are slides, chains and climbing grips (Bickersteth, R., 2023). 

No-one’s going to go to a sculpture every day, but they’ll go to a playground all year

The boulders on dolleys, and connecting apparatus, make for an unusual playground

This structure brings lots of concerns about the safety. However, the playground is in health and safety regulations of Australian government. The wheels are not moving, it just part of the design and the floor what looks like asphalt is made of the rubber (Hennessy, K., 2022). Yes, this playground doesn't look secure but is not less then other places where accidents happens anyway (Kirk, M., 2023). The design is to wake natural instincts of danger and preservation, also to fight the fear and cross the boundaries and rise self esteem.

The raw look of the boulders and the design catching my eye and bring some of the memories where as a kid use sometimes in extreme way the very few playground equipment in my village ( swing 360 degree, far jumps from the swing), or typical for us games like races on monkey bars. More dangerous- climbing flat roofs of the buildings, jumping from garages, etc. Yes, I felt many times and remember most of them. Are all that was unresponsible? Definitely not! Our bravery was long process, build on constantly trying, getting confident and pushing the boundaries, leaving the comfort zone. 

As a parent now, watching my kids in playground or in the pool I can see they going through exactly the same process. They gain confidence slowly as they progress. From my observation I can trust they instinct, however, I will always support and protect them from getting hurt as much as I can. Summarising, I found this installation for ideal to form strong mind and I believe it will benefit my kids in the future (if they willing to try). This is what make this playground so special.

That bring my approach and idea for upgraded version that we already have. Tree house, but the bigger, greater like the America ;) with the graduate steps so the youngest could climb, and slide on opposite side, bridge, climbing wall and sliding bar like one in fire station. The bridge could go to another tower with other equipment and another tower house... and another.... In first through there shouldn't be a roof over, however for support of the pole I have to added, sliding pole have a barrier around it to prevent from accidently fall down and the nett at the bottom in case of overestimate one's abilities ( I'm not a barbarian). Because of the view I draw you cant see the climbing wall (is that brown far wall).

References:

Alluzzi, V. (2023). MIKE HEWSON SCULPTURAL WHEELED PLAYGROUND ENCOURAGES RISKY PLAY WITHIN A SECURED WORLD. [online] ADF Web Magazine. Available at: https://www.adfwebmagazine.jp/en/design/mike-hewson-sculptural-wheeled-playground-encourages-risky-play-within-a-secured-world/ [Accessed 25 May 2025].

Bickersteth, R. (2023). Mike Hewson installs giant boulders on wheels for ‘risk play’ space in Melbourne. [online] Dezeen. Available at: https://www.dezeen.com/2023/01/04/mike-hewson-rocks-on-wheels-boulders-melbourne/.

Hennessy, K. (2022). ‘You can’t escape danger’: the artist making ‘risky’ playgrounds – and splitting opinions. [online] the Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2022/nov/14/you-cant-escape-danger-the-artist-making-risky-playgrounds-and-splitting-opinions.

Kirk, M. (2023). Bloomberg - Are you a robot? [online] www.bloomberg.com. Available at: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2023-02-04/the-art-of-designing-a-dangerous-looking-playground.

Image Reference list:

Arbus, D. (1980). Rock on Wheels - Diane Arbus. [Photo Engraving Photogravure] Photo. Available at: https://media.mutualart.com/Images/2024_12/15/12/82967393/diane-arbus-diane-arbus-NS1PZ.Jpeg [Accessed 25 May 2025].

Hewson, M. (2023). The boulders on dolleys, and connecting apparatus, make for an unusual playground. [Online image] Deezen.com. Available at: https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2022/12/rocks-on-wheels-mike-hewson-melbourne-playground_dezeen_2364_col_2.jpg [Accessed 25 May 2025].

Hewson, M. (2022). Rock on Wheels - Mike Hewson. [Photo] Photo. Available at: https://www.adfwebmagazine.jp/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/adf-web-magazine-mike-hewson-1.jpg [Accessed 25 May 2025].

Stephens, P. (2022). No-one’s going to go to a sculpture every day, but they’ll go to a playground all year. [Photo] The Guardian. Available at: https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/84d53e29c69894d96fbc83b1c67caca589d3ba52/0_48_3500_2100/master/3500.jpg?width=1900&dpr=2&s=none&crop=none [Accessed 25 May 2025].