Oakland Monster

Oakland Midcentury Monster
Excellent

Oakland Monster

Credit

Page Turnbull and Emily Wilson

Site overview

The Oakland Monster is a 25 feet long, 7 feet high, and 10 feet wide structure, with various soft angles and bends perfectly designed for children to play on. The sculpture also features various small foot holds along its tallest surface, as well as several nodes jutting out at angles for children to climb on. Sitting on the shores of Lake Merritt, the sculpture had deteriorated to the point where it had lost its colorful green paint and began to fall apart due to water damage. Because of this it was fenced off to prevent members of the public injuring themselves on the surface. However, thanks to efforts from the Merritt Breakfast Club and Oakland Public Works Department, the iconic sculpture has been beautifully restored to its former glory and playfulness.

Oakland Monster

Site overview

The Oakland Monster is a 25 feet long, 7 feet high, and 10 feet wide structure, with various soft angles and bends perfectly designed for children to play on. The sculpture also features various small foot holds along its tallest surface, as well as several nodes jutting out at angles for children to climb on. Sitting on the shores of Lake Merritt, the sculpture had deteriorated to the point where it had lost its colorful green paint and began to fall apart due to water damage. Because of this it was fenced off to prevent members of the public injuring themselves on the surface. However, thanks to efforts from the Merritt Breakfast Club and Oakland Public Works Department, the iconic sculpture has been beautifully restored to its former glory and playfulness.

Oakland Monster

Site overview

The Oakland Monster is a 25 feet long, 7 feet high, and 10 feet wide structure, with various soft angles and bends perfectly designed for children to play on. The sculpture also features various small foot holds along its tallest surface, as well as several nodes jutting out at angles for children to climb on. Sitting on the shores of Lake Merritt, the sculpture had deteriorated to the point where it had lost its colorful green paint and began to fall apart due to water damage. Because of this it was fenced off to prevent members of the public injuring themselves on the surface. However, thanks to efforts from the Merritt Breakfast Club and Oakland Public Works Department, the iconic sculpture has been beautifully restored to its former glory and playfulness.

Oakland Monster

Site overview

The Oakland Monster is a 25 feet long, 7 feet high, and 10 feet wide structure, with various soft angles and bends perfectly designed for children to play on. The sculpture also features various small foot holds along its tallest surface, as well as several nodes jutting out at angles for children to climb on. Sitting on the shores of Lake Merritt, the sculpture had deteriorated to the point where it had lost its colorful green paint and began to fall apart due to water damage. Because of this it was fenced off to prevent members of the public injuring themselves on the surface. However, thanks to efforts from the Merritt Breakfast Club and Oakland Public Works Department, the iconic sculpture has been beautifully restored to its former glory and playfulness.

Oakland Monster

Site overview

The Oakland Monster is a 25 feet long, 7 feet high, and 10 feet wide structure, with various soft angles and bends perfectly designed for children to play on. The sculpture also features various small foot holds along its tallest surface, as well as several nodes jutting out at angles for children to climb on. Sitting on the shores of Lake Merritt, the sculpture had deteriorated to the point where it had lost its colorful green paint and began to fall apart due to water damage. Because of this it was fenced off to prevent members of the public injuring themselves on the surface. However, thanks to efforts from the Merritt Breakfast Club and Oakland Public Works Department, the iconic sculpture has been beautifully restored to its former glory and playfulness.

Oakland Monster

Site overview

The Oakland Monster is a 25 feet long, 7 feet high, and 10 feet wide structure, with various soft angles and bends perfectly designed for children to play on. The sculpture also features various small foot holds along its tallest surface, as well as several nodes jutting out at angles for children to climb on. Sitting on the shores of Lake Merritt, the sculpture had deteriorated to the point where it had lost its colorful green paint and began to fall apart due to water damage. Because of this it was fenced off to prevent members of the public injuring themselves on the surface. However, thanks to efforts from the Merritt Breakfast Club and Oakland Public Works Department, the iconic sculpture has been beautifully restored to its former glory and playfulness.

Awards

Design

Citation of Merit

Civic

The Civic/Institutional Design Citation of Merit is given for the restoration of the Oakland Monster, an important piece of the post-World War II children’s creative play movement. Unimpressed by rusty swing sets and rickety slides, Oakland Parks Superintendent William Penn Mott commissioned local artist and California College of Art instructor Robert Winston to create a public play sculpture reminiscent of his free-form jewelry design. Inspired by Swedish abstract playground design, the 25 ft. long, 7 ft. high, and 10 ft. wide structure offers various soft angles and bends that are perfect for children to play on. Sitting on the shores of Lake Merritt in Oakland, CA, the sculpture had deteriorated to the point where it had lost its colorful green paint and begun to fall apart due to water damage. Because of this, it was fenced off to prevent members of the public injuring themselves on the surface. Thanks to efforts from the local “Mid-Century Modern Monster” Fan Club and the Lake Merritt Breakfast Club, in coordination with the Oakland Public Works Department, the iconic sculpture has been beautifully restored to its former glory and playfulness. The restoration was consistent with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and addressed three main issues: rehabilitating the structure to its original visual condition, allowing it to once again be used safely as a play structure, and reducing the risk of future deterioration. 

“As the former manager of the ‘Save Outdoor Sculpture’ program in New Jersey, this project warms my heart. These structures absolutely need advocacy. People form strong attachments to sculpture in the public realm. This work creates a festive environment for adults and children where the work can be appreciated as art and simultaneously encourage playful interaction.”

- Meredith Arms Bzdak, Ph.D., Docomomo US Board Member and Awards Committee Chair
Client

City of Oakland Department of Public Works

Restoration Team

Page & Turnbull (Project Lead); Western Specialty Contractors (Contractor); Lake Merritt Breakfast Club; Lake Merritt Mid-Century Monster Fan Club; Lake Merritt Breakfast Club Charitable Foundation

Location

Oakland Monster

664-658 Bellevue Ave, Oakland, CA 94610
Oakland, California, 94610

Country

United States
Credit:

Page Turnbull and Emily Wilson

Related News

Original Brief

The Oakland Monster was first conceived of by William Penn Mott, Superintendent of the Oakland Parks Department as a place for children to explore the shores of Lake Merritt. Wanting to create something fundamentally different from traditional ricket swing sets and rusty old slides, Mott tapped local artist and California College of Art instructor Robert Winston to create a playset inspired by his free form jewelry design. What he created was the first of its kind in the United States, based on Swedish Abstract playground design. With soft angles and nodes to climb, the Monster provided an ideal place for children to have a completely new experience while getting to know the local beauty of Lake Merritt. The Monster first made its debut at the California Spring Garden Show, where it nearly recouped its entire cost in prize money. Soon after, it was relocated to its home on the shores of the Lake and immediately began to do its job of providing a unique playspace for the local youth. After decades of deterioration, the Monster was in dire need of repairs. Thanks to the work of the Merritt Breakfast Club and Oakland Public Works, the sculpture was fully restored, with work beginning in Fall 2018.

General Description

Seeking to open the shores of Lake Merritt to Oakland's youth while providing something totally unique in comparison to a traditional swing set and slide, Oakland Parks Superintendent William Penn Mott was inspired to bring forth a totally new form of playground. Mott commissioned local artist and California College of Art instructor Robert Winston, famous for his free form jewelry design, to create the first of its kind playground set in the United States. Inspired by abstract Swedish playground design, the Monster features cheerful light green paint and several soft angled nodes for children to climb on and view the idyllic blue waves of Lake Merritt. Having fallen into great disrepair, the Merritt Breakfast Club and Oakland Public Works embarked on a mission to restore the Monster and provide a modern, engaging space for the next generation of Oakland children to play and explore.