The hero tower at Agen

Built for challenge – on and off the playground

This wasn’t a plug-and-play project. Our team faced multiple behind-the-scenes hurdles:

• The mound’s unknown composition meant we had to carry out an investigative dig to determine the nature of the substrate before we could finalise out technical design

• The tower had to be completely redesigned after the fact to fit onto a lorry for the long journey from Bristol to Agen, and needed to be installed by crane in two pre-fabricated halves

• We translated the client’s aesthetic vision into a precise RAL colour match, capturing the tulip symbolism in a striking pink
• We navigated a language barrier and constantly evolving feedback, all while working through a third-party agency

On top of that, there was regulation. While we designed to BS EN 1176 safety standards, the client had interpreted French fall zone requirements differently, which led to the need for last-minute reviews and refinements.

One tower, one day

Despite the complexities, installation was smooth and swift. The entire tower was in place within a single day, with the remaining time spent perfecting the theming and fitting the slide. The sun even came out to celebrate.

Although our suggestions to develop the internal structure of the tower to increase its play value weren’t taken up due to budget constraints, the feature still delivers the height, presence and energy the playground needed, and did so ahead of schedule.

A hero piece worth climbing for

The Agen hero tower now stands as a landmark play feature, bold in both design and colour, and full of character. It’s a celebration of playful storytelling, practical engineering and collaborative problem-solving. We hope that it offers a moment of enjoyment for children during shopping trips with their adults.

Create a playground that’s uniquely yours.

We’re always happy to answer any questions you may have about how we work, or offer advice on how best to successfully deliver your project.