Shiny Things We’re Proud Of!

WINNER – 2025 SAPIA ENTERED – Surfacing Commercial Play Space
National Zoo & Aquarium – New Playground Extension Project

Another Win for the BRUCES Team!

We’re absolutely thrilled to share that Bruce’s Playgrounds has taken out the win in the Surfacing – Commercial Facility Play Space category at the 2025 SAPIA Awards!

Our award-winning project at the National Zoo & Aquarium was a true design-and-construct adventure — created completely from the ground up with no predefined plans. Working closely with the zoo’s amazing team, our design process was hands-on, collaborative, and full of creativity.

Many of the features were imagined and developed on site — including the standout large-scale snake pattern, a dynamic and playful element conceptualised directly in the field by the BRUCES crew, and our fully custom 3D turtle sculpture, crafted from scratch to mirror the natural form of a turtle in the wild.

Throughout the playground, our surfacing tells stories of rivers, ecosystems, and iconic Australian and international landscapes — brought to life through bold colours, intricate details, and Rosehill TPV rubber surfacing. Each area was planned and installed in stages over several months, with the entire space completed just in time for the Christmas holiday season.

This project stands out not just for its creativity, but for the freedom it gave our team to blend artistry with function — transforming a blank canvas into an immersive, educational play experience that perfectly captures the zoo’s vision of learning through nature and play.

A huge thanks to Renee and the entire National Zoo & Aquarium team — in collaboration with Renee, we were able to bring her incredible vision to life. One day it was “let’s have a snake here,” the next we were designing lilypads and frogs — a truly bespoke design that evolved in real time through imagination, teamwork, and trust.

Thank you to the National Zoo & Aquarium for believing in us to deliver this wild idea — and to SAPIA for recognising the creativity, craftsmanship, and collaboration that made it all possible.

Because when it’s done right, rubber surfacing can truly tell an amazing story — and become a vital part of the overall design

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WINNER – 2025 SAPIA ENTERED – Ancillary Projects
Canberra Hospital – ED / Paediatrics Courtyard

We Won! 2025 SAPIA Awards

The team at Bruce’s Playgrounds is beyond excited to share that we’ve taken out the top spot in the Ancillary Projects category at this year’s SAPIA Awards!

Our winning project – The Paediatrics Courtyard at the Canberra Hospital Emergency Department — a truly special space designed with children and families at its heart.

As part of the hospital’s major ED expansion, we were proud to deliver all surfacing works within this calming, playful courtyard. Featuring a vibrant mix of rubber softfall and synthetic turf, this area provides a safe, sensory-friendly, and welcoming environment for children during what can be a stressful hospital visit.

Working within a live hospital site came with its challenges — tight access, coordination with multiple trades, and protecting our work as the hospital continued to operate — but our team rose to the occasion and delivered something we’re truly proud of.

This award means a lot to us because it celebrates not just craftsmanship, but compassion — creating spaces that support healing, inclusion, and the emotional wellbeing of kids and their families.

A huge thank you to everyone involved in bringing this project to life — and to SAPIA for recognising the impact playground surfacing can have beyond play spaces.

#SAPIAAwards2025 #BrucesPlaygrounds #CanberraHospital #PaediatricsCourtyard #PlaygroundsWithPurpose #InclusiveDesign #Softfall #SyntheticTurf #ProudWinner