An inclusive playground as a strong signal for the district.
The inclusive playground Schmetterlingswiesen in Berlin-Biesdorf was initially opened to children in December 2024. The official inauguration took place in October 2025 as part of the Berlin Playground Day - with District Mayor Nadja Zivkovic, representatives from politics and administration as well as Kaiser & Kühne on site.
For us as a manufacturer, it is always a strong sign when a district so clearly favours inclusion, quality and longevity. The butterfly meadows show very impressively what happens when planners, administration and manufacturers work consistently in the same direction: a room for manoeuvre that excludes no one.
Inclusion that works in everyday life.
The playground was designed as an inclusive place from the outset. Many areas are barrier-free so that children in wheelchairs can also play actively - not next to it, but right in the middle of it. This project is a very concrete example of how we understand inclusion in playgrounds - in line with our Concepts for inclusive play spaces.
One example is the large slide in the barrier-free area:
- an extended run-off area,
- a special carpet tile covering that is wheelchair-accessible,
- and a transfer surface on the platform that enables independent transfer from the wheelchair to the slide.
Such details are not visible at first glance - but they determine whether inclusion is actually practised or just on paper.
In addition, a well thought-out zoning concept - including a „toddler filter“ - ensures that younger children can play safely without accidentally ending up in areas for older children. Safety, play value and inclusion are deliberately combined here.
High-quality materials for a highly frequented neighbourhood location.
Robust, low-maintenance materials are particularly important in an urban environment with high utilisation. Many elements that are also typical of Kaiser & Kühne are used on the butterfly meadows:
- Stainless steel upright for maximum stability and corrosion resistance
- HPL panels in 24 vibrant colours, that not only set visual accents, but are also extremely hard-wearing
- Robinia wood in high resistance class, for long-lasting durability in outdoor areas
- Hercules ropes with steel strands and durable stainless steel chains for safe, long-lasting movement options
The materials used and construction details follow the same high standards that we apply in our Quality seals document. The result is a playground that manages the balancing act between intensive daily use, a high level of safety and a very modern, inviting appearance.
Child participation that was taken seriously.
The consistent involvement of the children was particularly impressive. The future users were actively consulted:
What should your playground be able to do? How do you want to play? What is important to you?
Based on these wishes, several concepts from different manufacturers were submitted - and the children decided for themselves. Of course, we are delighted that the design that was realised with our play equipment won out in the end. But even more important is the message behind it: Children are taken seriously as experts for their own living spaces.
Conclusion:
The butterfly meadows as an inclusive playground in Berlin are far more than just a new place to play: They stand for active inclusion, genuine child participation and high-quality design in urban spaces - and we at Kaiser & Kühne are proud to be part of this project with our play equipment.
You can find more impressions of the opening and the 3rd German Playground Day on the butterfly meadows in our Article on the day of action.
