OUTDOOR KIDS CAMP | Interview with Asia Rosati, designer at DEAR Studio

WHERE ARCHITECTURE BECOMES ADVENTURE

DEAR Studio from Merano is known for projects that connect architecture, nature, and people in a special way. With the new Outdoor Kids Camp at Merano 2000, the team designed – for the very first time – a play landscape for children. In collaboration with the client Merano 2000, a project was created that combines adventure, play, and nature experiences in harmony. We spoke with Asia Rosati, architect and designer at DEAR Studio, who, together with Manuel Gschnell, was responsible for designing the new play equipment and the camp.

Designing an outdoor camp for children sounds like a special challenge. What was exciting about it?
Yes, absolutely! For us at DEAR Studio it was the first time we developed a playground for children – so it was truly uncharted territory.
The challenge lay in putting ourselves into a completely different perspective: we are used to planning buildings. But here it was all about the children’s world – their movements, their perception, their joy in playing. What was especially exciting was this shift from the large scale of the landscape to the small, detailed play elements.

What guidelines or goals did you set for yourselves?
Together with Merano 2000 we received many inputs. It was important for us that everything would form an organic whole – not just individual objects, but a coherent play landscape that integrates into nature.
The terraces, walls, and mountain profiles of the surrounding area were sources of inspiration. At the same time, we wanted to create something unmistakably “Merano 2000,” unique and not comparable to a standard playground.

How did you move closer to that goal?
Because we did it together! The ideas from Merano 2000, the experiences and exchanges with my colleagues at DEAR Studio – all of that brought the project to life. The implementation by the company Archplay from Postal, which has a lot of experience in building such play structures, was also decisive. At the same time, we at DEAR Studio planned every detail and accompanied the entire construction phase. This way, solutions emerged that are practical and that children really enjoy.

Did you have a favorite element?
(laughs) Hard to say. I tried almost everything myself. I find the little “funghetti,” the mushroom-shaped elements, especially charming – but the big slide is also great and perhaps the iconic centerpiece of the project.

Finally: what makes the Outdoor Kids Camp special for you?
For me, it’s the mix: architecture, nature, and imagination. And also, the courage, as a team, to explore a new territory. For DEAR Studio, it was an exciting adventure – and for me personally, a unique opportunity to rediscover architecture from the children’s perspective.