Park Albert – Playcation 2023

A test strip for spontaneous play

Summer 2023. The living team of Park Albert joined forces with local organisations for Brussels’ Playcation — an annual invitation to turn the city into a place for play.

On Avenue Albert II, we tested what happens when you create space for movement and play — no hosts, no programme, no big event. Just room for what’s already there.

Originally, the interventions were planned on a street next to the park. But when Flixbus unexpectedly claimed the space, we adapted — and shifted everything into the green zone. A classic case of: the city leads, we follow.

What we built:
Boxing bag, tetherball, pull-up bar, basketball hoop, weather station, slackline, catwalk, modular wooden tribune.

The boxing bag and tetherball quickly became favourites — used by kids, commuters, office workers, even dogs. Some elements barely survived the enthusiasm.

What we learned:
You don’t need a programme to activate a space.
Sometimes, a boxing bag on your way home is all it takes.
And play doesn’t need instructions — just a place to happen.