KSS completes play space at RMHC Philadelphia and St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children

Philadelphia, PA — KSS Architects announced the completion of the Sensory Garden, a new inclusive playful learning environment at Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) Philadelphia Region and St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children. Designed as part of KABOOM!’s Play Everywhere Philadelphia initiative, the roughly 3,500 s/f project transforms a previously underutilized courtyard at 100 E Erie Ave. in Philadelphia into a destination where patients, families, and staff can explore, heal, and connect.

The design was shaped through community-informed visioning and focus groups with families caring for children receiving orthopedic and neurological treatment, many of whom navigate the campus using wheelchairs, walkers, and other mobility devices. Those conversations reinforced sensory design as a foundation for inclusion, guiding KSS toward an environment where auditory, tactile, visual, and movement-based experiences empower every child to participate, build confidence and independence, and connect with others in ways that reflect their unique abilities.

Rooted in the idea that learning can happen anywhere, the Sensory Garden integrates musical instruments, tactile play elements, bilingual learning prompts, nature-inspired painted pathways, interactive seating, and playful graphics into a cohesive landscape. Features include a chime and percussion “Sound Waves” play area, a “Circle of Fifths” musical installation, a scavenger-hunt bench with engraved prompts and matching stepping stones, silhouette shadow-play sculptures, and signage that is displayed in Spanish and English.

The Sensory Garden was made possible through grant funding from KABOOM!’s Play Everywhere Philadelphia initiative, with additional funding support from the William Penn Foundation. KSS led design in collaboration with Playful Learning Landscapes, which served as playful learning consultant; Watchdog Real Estate Project Management, which served as grant project manager; muralist Andre Chaney, whose ground murals and painted environmental graphics unify the space through color and visual storytelling; and fabricator Future Together. The KSS project team included Mayva Donnon, AIA, LEED AP, partner, Beth Emig, AIA, principal, and Tyler Park, RA.