APE Studio

10/21/2026

On Sunday, landscape architects and designers followed Max D'Aurizio, our Director of Landscape, through three New York City playgrounds to see what children do when a space invites them to decide for themselves.

At Brooklyn Bridge Park Playground, Governors Island, and Battery Playscape, the tour looked at how risk, atmosphere, and layout shape the way children explore, experience, and play together. Each site took a different approach, and together they offered a practical way to evaluate play value beyond the standard equipment layout.

Thank you to ASLA-NY and everyone who joined us!

10/10/2026

Some playgrounds kids never want to leave. On Sunday, Oct. 18, we’re walking through three of them to find out why.

Join us and ASLA-NY for a CEU tour of Brooklyn Bridge Park, Governors Island, and Battery Playscape. Max D’Aurizio and Will Larson will lead the way, unpacking the design choices that invite exploration, risk, and imagination.

3.0 PDH (LA CES). Free for ASLA members, $10 for non-members. Spots are limited. Register at the link in our bio.

10/10/2026

Nobody tells them how to play this one. Two kids climb on, and within seconds they’re negotiating: lean back, shift forward, find the balance point.

That’s play value. The Swing Scales by Richter Spielgeräte give children a real physical puzzle to solve together. They are the pendulum weights, so they learn balance by feeling it in their bodies. They can sway gently or push into big, energetic movement, and they decide which. That range of challenge is why it holds the attention of older kids and teens, and why it brings out conversation, cooperation, and body awareness.

10/02/2026

10/01/2026

Shooting Star Park sits directly across from the Stafford Museum
in Weatherford, OK, and the connection doesn't stop at the view. Step inside, and you're climbing through a UFO, racing down embankment slides, or surveying the playground from the inside of a climbable plane.

Developed in collaboration with MA+ and Kimley-Horn, the park honors the legacy of astronaut Thomas P. Stafford. A water runner, sensory garden, climbing structures, and a swingset with sweeping park views round out the space, grounding its cosmic theme in a place built for community and discovery.

09/30/2026

Calling all NYC-area landscape architects: curious how great playspaces are made?

In collaboration with ASLA-NY, join APE Studio for a hands-on CEU tour exploring what it really takes to design for play value. We'll visit three distinct NYC playgrounds, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Governors Island, and Battery Playscape, each offering a different approach to fostering exploration, risk, collaboration, and imagination.

Fundamentals of Playspace Design: Designing for Play Value at NYC's Playgrounds

APE Studio's Max D'Aurizio and Will Larson will lead attendees through each site, unpacking the design decisions behind them, from materials and layout to how spaces support self-determination and engagement across ages and abilities.

🗓 Sunday, Oct. 18 | 10 AM – 1 PM
📍 Meet at Brooklyn Bridge Park's Pier 6, corner of Bridge Park Drive and Atlantic Ave.

✅ 3.0 PDH (LA CES)
✅ Spots are limited — registration required via link in bio.
Free for ASLA-NY members, $10 for non-members

09/29/2026

The shape behind Richter's Nautilus Snail is inspired by the spiral shell of Nautilus pompilius, a cephalopod distant cousin to the ammonite.

Turn the disc, and the snail draws water in, carrying it up and letting it spill out at the center hub. The height it reaches depends only on the size of the wheel. Simple mechanics, real effort, and a satisfying payoff at the top.