A New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) complex in Brooklyn has unveiled what is believed to be the city's first playground constructed from recycled wine and champagne corks. The new recreational space, named Village Vibes, at the Marlboro Houses in Gravesend, was created using approximately 400,000 corks collected from restaurants and hotels across the five boroughs.
The initiative was led by the nonprofit Cork Collective, which gathered the used corks and sent them to a recycling facility in Wisconsin. There, the corks were cleaned, ground down, and reformed into materials used for the playground's construction. The community at Marlboro Houses contributed to the design of the space, with children submitting their ideas that inspired the final layout.
The playground features winding paths lined with neon yellow structures, including pull-up bars, benches, and interactive elements designed by The Urban Conga. In addition to its sustainable origins, the cork surface is noted for being cooler than traditional playground materials like plastic or rubber, a significant benefit during heat waves.
"They get this beautiful, safe sustainable surface. It’s a really hot day — that cork is cooler than the outside temperature," Nazli Parvizi, a member of Cork Collective, told the New York Post. "If it was rubber, it’d be 10 degrees hotter, and we get to have a wonderful use for all these corks we collect."
Paula Jenkins, president of the Marlboro Resident Association, expressed enthusiasm for the project, joking about the origin of the materials. Natasha Franklin, program coordinator for Marlboro Cornerstone, the community center at the housing complex, highlighted the project's importance in making residents feel prioritized.
This project marks a novel approach to playground construction, prioritizing sustainability and occupant comfort with materials that are also described as less toxic and more heat-resistant.