Organized in 2005, CUBE design + research, LLC is a design practice centered on big ideas in a connected world. Our educational & professional experience encompasses architecture, construction management & urban design.

CUBEPLAY

A product line of contemporary playhouses called cubePLAY.

Our 4th modern playhouse complete in Raleigh – wow! check it out: fb.me/37XYTktS8

Our 4th cubePLAY structure, designed for a Raleigh family, is now complete! Our play structure designs are devoid of traditional notions of house; intended to let the imagination of children make it whatever they desire. Thus far we’ve heard our structures becoming pirate ships, karate fortresses, princess castles, and even a favorite place to do homework!
Construction and photographs by owner, Dan Crow.

Our 4th cubePLAY structure was designed for a Raleigh family. This is the first with a swing using a steel flitch-beam. Our play structure designs are devoid of traditional notions of “house”; intended to let the imagination of children make it whatever they desire. Thus far we’ve heard our structures becoming pirate ships, karate fortresses, princess castles, and even a place to do homework!

A ‘playhouse’ to be used by both the parents and the kids. The structure rises from the land through terraces that provide a unique experience in the trees.

A few images of our submission to Dwell’s ‘playhaus’ competition.  Thanks to Eric Yang for his help with the development of our newest play structure design.

This article discusses one of our arguments for more creative and challenging play structures.  They should be safe, but they don’t have to be boring.  Any design problem includes the tug-of-war between aesthetics and function. The design of play structures is no different.  They should be both visually stimulating and cognitively challenging.  This article discusses how ‘modern’ play structures have been adversely affected by legal and safety standards throughout the years to the point where they are becoming obsolete.

Our second constructed cubePLAY structure was done for a benefit in Tampa, FL to raise fund for the Outdoors Foundation. A local daycare secured the winning auction bid!

cubePLAY has launched! An alternative to the cheesy play-houses that litter America’s backyards, cubePLAY is a series of architectural play structures that foster child creativity through physical and cognitive interaction. These play structures depart from traditional playhouse designs by providing a dynamic framework for imagination.

The structures are constructed from renewable redwood planks that filter light and create a rich spatial interior that allows passage through, over, and under its various levels. A perfect place for playing, napping, and doing homework, cubePLAY exposes children to the value of design through lively hands-on interaction.

Want to help your kids do better in school this fall? Get them moving. That’s the message from a growing field of research linking physical activity with better academic performance… more

Children’s Play Equipment and the Decline of the American Yard

The next time you drive down a street in suburban or exurban America, pay careful attention to the yards. Lurking somewhere, either peeping out from the back or nakedly displayed right in front, some form of children’s play equipment, typically in plastic and typically in some bright primary color, will probably be splayed on the grass… more