An ‘imagination playground’ is being built in New Orleans to inspire children to get into architecture through play.

Not-for-profit organisation PlayBuild’s goal is to transform under-utilised urban spaces into fun environments for 4-12-year-olds to think and learn about architecture, design and city planning.

Set up two years ago, PlayBuild has so far organised a number of outdoor play sessions for local schools, but has now broken ground on a permanent site in New Orleans, working with Palmisano Contractors. The vacant lot where the playground will be built, in the Central City neighbourhood, was once an overgrown blighted property.

Designed by New Orleans-based Rozas Ward Architects, the playground will feature a kit of life-sized foam building blocks as well as a wide array of other construction toys, games, and books. The site will also include an outdoor classroom with seating for 25 people, a stage and a seated workstation.

PlayBuild co-founder Angela Kyle said the organisation’s hope was to create a multifunctional space that would become a destination for the whole city.

Construction work is expected to be completed in June 2015, with a summer camp scheduled to take place soon after.