• by Sophie Kleber , February 12, 2010

David Rockwell is an architect. He also designs stages. For example, he designed the stage for last year's Academy awards. What no one knew was that the crystal curtain was the hardest part to design, and put through safety, as it crashed down during rehearsal.It was worth fighting for it.

After losing his father when he was 3 years old, the family moved to Mexico. David as the youngest child fully identified himself in all things mexican. But while he loved it, his mom could not cope, and when David was 15 years old, his mother took his life.

Now David is the father. How do you stop yourself from overprotecting your children? The search for that answer led to David's most important project: Imagination Playground. A space that allows free play. The 20,000 square foot result will open in lower Manhattan this summer.

Kaboom was inspired, and together they will erect over 100 playgrounds in the US, where nothing is bolted down, every part is movable, reconfigurable. In this space, anything can happen. No project has ever made him happier.