The program created three free public playgrounds in central Yerevan: Karmrakhayt – Secrets of the Hidden River, Vishapagorg – Memory of the Tree of Life, and Armenian Inventors – Science from Inside Out. Together, they provide places where children aged 0–12, including children with disabilities and limited mobility, can play alongside their peers. Inclusion is embedded in the layouts and equipment. At Karmrakhayt, barrier-free circulation connects a continuous play landscape of landforms, nets, slides and tactile surfaces. At Vishapagorg, a barrier-free surface, tactile and Braille paths, musical and sensory elements serve children with a range of physical, sensory and cognitive abilities. Across the program, age-specific zones provide suitable levels of challenge.
The Keron Foundation Team launched the program in response to a long-standing shortage of high-quality public playgrounds for different age groups and growing demand for safe, educational play environments in Yerevan. The goals were to create approximately 3,500 square meters of permanent public play space, preserve and expand greenery, and establish a model for child-centered urban development.
Each playground turns a part of Armenian identity into a physical experience. Karmrakhayt – Secrets of the Hidden River draws on local ecology and Armenian local river fish; Vishapagorg – Memory of the Tree of Life translates Armenian carpet motifs into movement and sensory play; and Armenian Inventors – Science from Inside Out turns scientific ideas into interactive challenges, at the same time educating children about all the international inventions that Armenian scientists brought to the world. Together, the sites support physical, social and intellectual development while giving families welcoming places to spend time in the city.
The Keron Foundation Team and urban design bureau UrUrban developed and delivered the three-site program in cooperation with Yerevan Municipality and the Kentron Administrative District. The sites were selected in central public parks and assigned distinct age ranges: Karmrakhayt – Secrets of the Hidden River for children aged 0–12, Vishapagorg – Memory of the Tree of Life for children aged 0–7, and Armenian Inventors – Science from Inside Out for children aged 3–12.
During design, the team held focus groups and discussions with parents and local residents. Their feedback was incorporated into the final plans. The team also worked with municipal bodies, private supporters, branding agencies and equipment suppliers, coordinating each contribution within a single program.
Each site translated its story into a different play system. The 2,000-square-meter Karmrakhayt centers on an eight-meter Armenian river trout and a 27-meter play sequence of landforms, nets, slides, tunnels and tactile surfaces. Its barrier-free circulation and sensory features support shared use. The 800-square-meter Vishapagorg converts Armenian carpet geometry into mounds, tunnels and slides, with a barrier-free surface, tactile and Braille paths, musical and sensory elements. Armenian Inventors uses a six-meter, three-level vertical tower, the city’s tallest spiral slide, climbing nets, scientific panels and an interactive labyrinth to turn physics, astronomy and engineering into physical play.
Across all three sites, the designers worked within existing urban parks and retained their greenery while adding landscaped areas. Natural wood, recycled materials and water-permeable surfaces were combined with soft gravel and rubber safety surfacing. The completed network contains over 30 types of play equipment supporting climbing, balance, tactile exploration, imaginative play and social interaction.
The Keron Foundation initiated and coordinated the entire process of creating the playgrounds — from working with the public and private partners, to cooperating with UrUrban, which led the playground concept development, and DSVent Engineering, which led the construction. Family activities introduced each site to its community: the Karmrakhayt launch included a guided tour, music and animators; Vishapagorg and Armenian Inventors opened with creative workshops and children’s programming. The Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia toured the Armenian Inventors playground and made a decision to replicate the concept in other locations across Armenia, recognizing it as a prototype for future initiatives aimed at territorial development. A coordinated social and earned-media rollout followed the development and opening of all three sites.
All three playgrounds opened between September 2025 and May 2026, delivering approximately 3,500 square meters of permanent, free public space for children aged 0–12. The program preserved existing green areas, added new landscaping and installed over 30 types of play equipment across three distinct cultural and educational environments.
During the reported three-month period, the playground program recorded 10,000+ young visitors. The communications campaign also generated strong public visibility: posts on the Keron Foundation Team’s channels produced 1.9 million views and 18,398 interactions. Earned-media coverage comprised 124 mentions across 100 outlets, with an estimated potential reach of 21.4 million.
The completed sites met the project’s central objectives. Children of different ages and abilities now have free access to challenging, sensory and educational play in central Yerevan. Families gained permanent community spaces embedded in existing parks, and Armenian ecology, carpet-making traditions and scientific achievement became part of everyday urban experience. The cooperation between the Foundation, municipal authorities and private supporters also created a practical model for future public-space projects.
