Playwell Bricks got its start when CEO Jason Pyett started hosting brick workshops to encourage kids to be creative, so this next project couldn’t help but remind the team of where Playwell came from. The client, Alberta Health Services, came to us to ask for a special custom Playwell Bricks set of a local landmark.

As it turns out, the Child and Youth Services division of Alberta Health Services was hosting a Building Buddies Camp over the summer in Grande Prairie, Alberta (Canada). This free social development summer camp was created to help kids aged 8-10 communicate, collaborate, and learn the power of connections. To help connect the kids to the community, they requested Playwell Bricks design a custom set based on the city’s Millenium Sundial.

This sundial is one of the 85+ roadside attractions that Alberta is known for. The Millenium Sundial’s gnomon, the section that casts the shadow, is a whopping 12 m, or 40 feet, long and constructed of shining stainless steel. The surrounding garden is marked with roman numerals to give admirers a chance to read the hour.

Playwell Bricks designer Pedro Lara did the design of the significantly smaller brick version of the Millenium Sundial. When I ask him what his favorite part of this design is, Lara points out the largest circle in the gnomon. “This is a very fun section. The large circle, [the bottom of] which is an upside-down arch, is not connected by any studs. It’s just sandwiched there by friction and stays together very well.”

His use of the word ‘fun’ belies just how clever that seemingly simple design choice was. Throughout, Lara was careful about designing this project with the young audience in mind. To ensure a positive build experience at the summer camp, he wanted “nothing too complicated here for the kids.”

Once Alberta Health Services approved the final design, Playwell Bricks shifted into production and delivered these custom time-telling sets to Alberta Health Services for their July summer camp. The Playwell team hopes the kids had fun and that they’re still telling time with their very own brick sundials.

If your company has a special event coming up that can be made even more special with a custom Playwell Bricks set, please contact us today. No matter the audience, our designers will create something tailored just for you. Let’s build your dream together!