Playgrounds in Jakarta too hot for play as experts urge design rethink

JAKARTA – It was still 10am at Embung Jagakarsa open green space in Jagakarsa district, South Jakarta, but the temperature had already reached 30 deg C. The yellow-and-blue play structure stood tall in the middle of the playground under the sweltering sun, making the structure’s surface too hot to touch.

On the morning of Aug 10, a little girl took off her shoes before entering the playground in the area, but put them on again less than a minute later while muttering, “Hot! Hot! Hot!”