Sliding in style, Tigerplay and HIMACS put the fun into safe and durable play area design, Building materials

Tigerplay and HIMACS for safe, durable play area design

15 October 2025

The ways in which HIMACS can elevate a design are extensive, as are the ways in which it can bring joy into a project. As soft play experts Tigerplay have discovered, it’s also ideal for designing slides that deliver just as much fun on the way back down!

The properties that make the premium solid surface material perfect for such applications are considerable: strong, yet thermoformable into any shape desired; warm and silky to the touch, yet robust and durable; inherently hygienic while being easy to maintain… and repairable if needed. So, when it comes to free-spirited play, no worries about crayons, felt tip pens, paints or any other spills – as HIMACS can be restored to its pristine appearance.

Joined in a way that forms a sleek, seamless, non-porous finish, with nowhere for nasty stuff to lurk – and no rough surfaces for little limbs to get caught on – HIMACS is also the safe choice by virtue of being entirely silica and VOC free.

Tigerplay creates play areas for all kinds of environments from schools to ships, healthcare to homes. “The bespoke nature of our work means that each project brings unique considerations around accessibility, layout and materiality,” says Gary Morrison, Managing Director, Tigerplay. “Sustainability is a key factor in our approach and we work to British and European standards to ensure our play areas are both safe and fun. Innovative design is vital to creating equipment that excites and challenges children, but we also strive to build spaces that inspire adults as well.”

HIMACS can be found in many charming and creative Tigerplay installations, from a unique, Beatles-inspired yellow submarine to multiple surfaces including signage, but it features most frequently in the form of slides. And who doesn’t love a slide? Even into adulthood the exhilaration of climbing up and then swooshing back down cannot fail to lift the human heart… even if that’s just enjoying the children’s fun vicariously.

So, why HIMACS? “We take pride in the fact that our play spaces are built to last, and we strive for every project to have the ‘WOW’ factor. The smooth finish of HIMACS helps elevate the look and feel of our installations,” explains Gary, “It has a sleek and soft finish in any shape or form and is extremely durable, which is particularly important in busy play areas.”

It’s not only high standards of aesthetics and performance that matter to Tigerplay, sustainability is also key. “The fact that HIMACS in certain colours is made with SCS certified recycled content, has low environmental impact during manufacturing and can be repaired or reused at the end of its life is important to us. Additionally, it meets high standards for indoor air quality, certified by organisations like Greenguard,” adds Sarah.

Here’s a collection of Tigerplay projects featuring slides made from HIMACS:

Residential Playroom – St John’s Wood, London

This elegant playroom has been thoughtfully designed to create a space where the whole family can relax, play, and connect. At its heart is a beautifully crafted wooden playhouse, complete with climbing equipment, a sensory snug, and a HIMACS slide.

Residential Playroom – Newcastle (below)

This bespoke wooden structure introduces playful pops of colour while retaining a natural aesthetic through its warm timber frame. On the upper level, soft play obstacles encourage climbing and exploration, while the sleek HIMACS slide offers a joyful way back down.

Blue Diamond, Cadbury Garden Centre – North Somerset (below left)

An immersive and enchanting multi-sensory play environment designed for children from babies to the age of eight. This bespoke play space, named ‘The Treehouse’, is split into three zones and blends creativity, functionality, and sustainability. For the three to five year-old visitors, the area has been carefully planned to encourage independent discovery, with varied routes for climbing, sliding and crawling that promote both gross motor skills and confidence through self-directed play. HIMACS forms the slides in two sizes and colours.

Clara’s Corner, The Walled Garden, West Wycombe (above right)

This play space was designed to spark wonder and imagination with HIMACS slides, climbing walls, activity walls and sensory features spread across two floors. Children can navigate through, up, down and around the climbing frame which curves and meanders throughout the whole space. The natural colour scheme, digitally printed flooring and graphics on the wall add to the immersive experience for families to enjoy.

St John’s Wood home

Cadbury Garden Centre

Further information and images available in each project.

PROJECT INFORMATION

Project: Soft play areas designed by Tigerplay

Locations: London, Newcastle, North Somerset, West Wycombe (UK)

Slides Fabrication: Tigerplay │ www.tigerplay.co.uk │ (at)tigerplayuk

HIMACS supplier: James Latham

Material: HIMACS S006 Arctic White and HIMACS S212 Light Green │

(at)himacseurope

Elements in HIMACS: Slides

Photography: Jon Aaron Green

HIMACS

The shape of your ideas

HIMACS is a solid surface material that can be moulded into any shape. It is widely used for architectural and interior applications, such as sculptural and high-performance wall cladding or kitchen, bathroom and furniture surfaces, in commercial, residential and public space projects. It is composed of minerals, acrylic and natural pigments that come together to provide a smooth, non-porous and visually seamless surface which meets the highest standards for quality, aesthetics, fabrication, functionality and hygiene – offering many advantages over conventional materials.

HIMACS provides limitless possibilities for surfacing solutions and inspires creative minds from all over the world. Zaha Hadid, Jean Nouvel, Rafael Moneo, Karim Rashid, Marcel Wanders and David Chipperfield, among others, have completed fabulous projects using HIMACS.

Proud to be at the forefront of innovation, LX Hausys made Solid Surface history with the introduction of HIMACS Ultra-Thermoforming, a pioneering formulation which pushes the boundaries of solid surface shaping to significant new levels with 30% greater thermoplastic capability, Furthermore, HIMACS Intense Ultra is a groundbreaking advance that now combines the qualities of both Intense Colour Technology and Ultra-Thermoforming.

To add to the benefits of working with HIMACS, now the iconic HIMACS Alpine White, plus a wide selection

of colours, come with SCS certified pre-consumer recycled content for a more sustainable product offering.

HIMACS uses a simple heating process to give three-dimensional thermoplastic forming capabilities, allows visually seamless designs, offers a virtually limitless range of colours and – for some shades – exhibits a special translucency when exposed to light. Although HIMACS is almost as robust as stone, it can be worked in a similar way as wood: it can be sawn, routed, drilled or sanded.

HIMACS is made using a next-generation technology, the thermal cure. The temperature reached during the manufacturing process sets HIMACS apart from other solid surfaces and creates a denser surface that is even sturdier, more homogeneous and more durable, and with better resistance and superior thermoforming results.

HIMACS does not absorb humidity, is highly resistant to stains and is easy to clean, maintain and repair. HIMACS is composed from premium-quality materials, ensuring a surface that is free from harmful substances such as silica, formaldehyde, VOC emissions, and nanoparticles. Prioritising health and safety, HIMACS offers peace of mind for any environment.

Countless internationally recognised certificates attest to the quality of HIMACS in terms of ecological commitment, hygiene and fire resistance – being the first Solid Surface in the market to receive the official European Technical Approval (ETA) for façades – for the Alpine White S728 colour.

HIMACS offers a 15-year warranty for products fabricated by a Quality Club Member.

For more information and to stay connected, visit our EU WEBSITE, UK WEBSITE and our newsroom.

Let’s connect!

HIMACS is designed and produced by LX Hausys (formerly LG Hausys), a world leader in the technology sector and a subsidiary of LX Holdings Corp.

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