Forgotten Laughter: Memories of Playgrounds in Urbanisation

Qian Chen

Insta:qqc_vv

cqian002@gmail.com

This collection of photographs captures the decline and forgetfulness of playgrounds in modern urbanisation. Due to land development, shifting consumption patterns, and the rise of digital entertainment, these recreational facilities are gradually being replaced by skyscrapers and shopping centres. However, these forgotten corners of the city are more than just physical spaces; they are also containers of childhood memories that bear witness to the passage of time.

Playgrounds, once vibrant havens of countless childhoods, have become forgotten "dream ruins" in the tide of urbanisation. Rusted merry-go-rounds and empty flying chairs still hold collective memories, standing quietly as if awaiting their eventual erasure by time. Yet, the laughter, fears, excitement, and anticipation of those days, though distant, never truly vanish. Through these images, we see not just abandoned amusement facilities but also fragments of childhood nostalgia intertwined with reality, evoking memories that remain eternally vivid.