Ural Forest by Taiga wins Silver A' Design Award

Taiga’s Ural Forest modular playground series earned a Silver A' Design Award in the Playground Equipment, Play Structures and Public Park Design category. The recognition highlights a project in Yekaterinburg that blends nature-inspired forms, managed risk, and weather-ready engineering for public play spaces.

Why it matters: - The award puts a public-play project in Yekaterinburg on the map for municipalities, landscape architects and families looking for safer, more inclusive outdoor play spaces. - The recognition underscores growing demand for playgrounds that combine cultural relevance, durable materials and strong play value. - The design also points to a broader industry shift toward managed risk, where children can test physical limits in a controlled setting.

What happened: - The A' Design Award named Ural Forest by Taiga a Silver winner in the Playground Equipment, Play Structures and Public Park Design category. - The recognition was announced July 10, 2026. - Ural Forest contributes to the Iset River embankment in Yekaterinburg. - The project was developed by Taiga with Vyacheslav Kobelev, Daria Efremova, Mariia Pokataeva, Georgii Meskhi, Anton Voronchihin, Ivan Grehov and Sergei Spiridonov. - S&P Landscape Studio proposed the original Ural Forest concept and invited Taiga into the embankment improvement project as play environment specialists. - More information is available on the award page.

The details: - Ural Forest is a modular series of children’s playground equipment shaped as geometric abstractions of regional nature. - Large asymmetrical tree structures are designed to look different from every side and support play in all weather conditions. - Bear-themed and chanterelle mushroom-themed playhouses support roleplay and light activity. - The Ants and Leaves open structures are designed for physical training among younger visitors. - Internal spiral labyrinths and communication pipes combine physical challenge with social interaction. - The units use stainless steel and larch wood. - Taiga engineered the series with parametric software. - Reinforced foundations were calibrated for wind and snow loads. - The system uses universal joint solutions. - The design supports modular transport and efficient on-site assembly. - The series is built for reliable performance in extreme weather conditions.

Between the lines: - The Silver award suggests jurors saw more than visual appeal. The project also had to show engineering discipline, safety planning and environmental fit. - The nature-based theme gives the playground a local identity while still serving practical urban infrastructure needs. - Taiga’s approach aligns with a design market that values landscape integration as much as standalone play equipment.

What's next: - Taiga said the recognition may inform future projects and reinforce its focus on multidisciplinary collaboration and iterative engineering. - The company plans to keep exploring context-sensitive play environments that can function as urban landmarks. - The award may also strengthen the case for playgrounds that balance durability, accessibility and developmental value.

The bottom line: - Ural Forest shows how playground design can double as civic placemaking, using nature-inspired forms and weather-tested engineering to create a public space with both visual and developmental appeal.