We believe serious play creates memorable experiences for people of all ages.

Play encourages exploration and innovation.

It challenges us to expand our thinking.  

And it helps us understand how end-users will experience and engage with others in a space.

Whether that space is an immersive exhibit, positive distraction for a healthcare facility, or an engaging outdoor experience— play is for everyone, everywhere.

What do we mean by “serious play”?

We’ve built swings, prototyped giant pinwheels, constructed models, and tested boundaries.

We explore multiple design options by producing digital renderings, constructing physical prototypes, and testing materials first-hand.

This approach encourages hands-on discovery and exploration through trial-and-error, because the best solutions are achieved by balancing a project’s requirements with our curiosity for innovative solutions.

Can you guess which of these spaces are at a major league baseball stadium? A school? A garden? A hospital?

“Metcalfe’s creativity, playfulness, and excitement...is wonderful. It is clear that this individual interaction is part of the firm’s philosophy — not just another part of the job.”  

Rabbi Isaac Saposnik, Executive Director, Camp Havaya / Eco-Village

“There are many types of play: social, physical, intellectual,” shared partner emeritus Aaron Goldblatt in an interview on our website.

“The museum is an example of intellectual play. So while an elevated walkway may not seem like a playscape, its design and intended outcomes are absolutely rooted in the aims and joy of play.  

Designing for play can seem a fairly simple task, though the outcomes are profound, in my opinion: learning, laughter, and creating genuine connections between people, nature, and history.”

So… where do YOU play?

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Projects featured in this newsletter: Whiting Forest of Dow Gardens (1 & 2; Photography by Nic Lehoux); Moorestown Friends School (3 & 7; Photography by Peter Chollick, courtesy of the School); UPMC Harrisburg (4; Photography by Jeff Totaro); Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (5; Photography by Aileen Bannon); The Yard at Citizens Bank Park (6; Go Phillies! Photography by Halkin | Mason Photography)