Project Name: 37th Street Play Lot

Client: Los Alamos County Services

Location: Los Alamos, NM

Year: 2025

Renovation of the 37th Street Play Lot in Los Alamos, New Mexico, was completed in May 2026. Anthropopulus collaborated with the Los Almos County Community Services Department to create an inclusive play environment that supports a wide range of childhood development opportunities in fun and engaging ways.

The design responds to both the character and topography of the School House Canyon site. Play equipment was selected to reflect the regional context, while natural play elements such as a boulder scramble and log steppers offer engaging challenges for hopping, scrambling, and balancing. Additional features including a hill slide, zip cruise, and spinners encourage active play across age groups. The existing trees were preserved through careful design so that the playground could continue to benefit from their aesthetic and ecologic contributions to the site.

The sloping hillside presented a key design challenge and opportunity. An accessible pathway zigzags across the slope stabilized with native grasses and a riprap swale, creating a welcoming and visually appealing entrance for all users. Tabular boulders define the play area edges and help integrate the site into the surrounding canyon landscape.