Guldminen Ikast is a school project where active architecture and physical activity in the school go hand in hand. By integrating a vertical playground as the central link between the ground floor, first and second floors, we have created a unique play and movement environment that challenges students’ motor skills and strengthens the whole body. Here, children climb on handholds, crawl through a “stem forest” and ascend a net—everything as part of an indoor motor skills course for the school. At the top, a lounging net is suspended, where they can rest or hang out once the challenge has been conquered.

The project is based on research showing that one-sided strain increases the risk of injuries, especially among children in elite football programs. Asking “how do you create more movement in schools?” we chose to integrate movement installations into everyday school life—not as an extra activity, but as a natural part of a school design focused on movement. The result is a motor skills course for children that promotes varied movement patterns and helps prevent injuries, while also fostering a playful spirit, social interaction and heightened body awareness—exactly the kind of holistic movement solution modern schools need.

Vertical Movement Labyrinth at Guldminen Ikast – Active Architecture in the School