Pixeland

Horse Box is a playground designed by 100architects for the Dongyuan property group in Mianyang, China, as the first project in a series revolving around the horse IP. The client wanted a playscape that would be instantly recognizable from the surrounding residential towers and that would feature their horse mascot in a fresh, abstract way. The design takes the form of a huge cubic box painted in vivid colors, with openings and climbing structures cut into its sides, and a stylized horse silhouette emerging from the top. The box acts as a vertical play structure that children can climb, slide through, and crawl inside, while the surrounding ground is painted with abstract horse-themed graphics and play games. The project is intended as an urban toy for all ages: children play on the equipment, parents rest on the surrounding seating, and the whole installation becomes a landmark for the residential community. Horse Box proved so successful that Dongyuan commissioned four more horse-themed projects from 100architects in subsequent years, each exploring a different way of playing with the same equine identity, from the most abstract to the most literal landscape-scale interpretations. The bright colors and bold form make the box visible from the road, drawing visitors into the residential compound, and the surrounding seating gives parents a comfortable place to watch their children play.