At Sanjiaodi Park in Changping, Beijing, a familiar object from the city’s everyday history has been given a new role. Designed by XISUI Design, the BK640 Bus Playground transforms the classic BK640 bus into an interactive space for children, shifting it from a vehicle once defined by movement through the city to a structure designed for movement within a park.
The project keeps the recognizable character of the bus while completely changing how it is experienced. Children can climb, explore, move through and around the structure, turning a piece of transport history into an environment shaped by play and discovery.
Its presence also creates a tangible link with local memory. For older generations, the BK640 belongs to a familiar chapter of Beijing’s urban landscape; for younger visitors, it becomes something to encounter physically rather than simply observe as an artefact.
By placing the bus within a family-oriented public space, XISUI Design connects several layers of everyday life: transport, recreation, memory and community. The project demonstrates how objects associated with a city’s past can remain relevant when their original function disappears.
The BK640 no longer carries passengers through Beijing. Instead, it carries a different kind of memory; one experienced through movement, curiosity and play.
