Valencia will have a second major theme park inspired by the world of Gulliver. Mayor María José Catalá presented the project for Gulliver’s Lilliput on Monday, a children’s playground to be built in sections 4 and 5 of the Turia Gardens, funded entirely by the Valencian Institute of Oncology (IVO) Foundation in exchange for the expansion of its hospital.
The centerpiece of the complex will be an 8.3-meter-tall sculpture made of high-density fiberglass depicting Gulliver seated—unlike the original Gulliver, who is lying down. The figure will be accessible both from the outside and the inside: it will include slides integrated into the sculpture’s anatomy, interior tunnels, nets and climbing structures, elevated walkways, and connections between different levels.
A 6,700-square-meter park with no tree cutting
The project will be developed on a 6,700-square-meter plot, of which 2,300 square meters will be dedicated to the playground area. The project, designed by the firm Kiwi Playground with artistic input from Miguel Santaeulalia, preserves all existing trees and landscaping. According to City Hall, no tree cutting or direct impact on the current vegetation is anticipated.
Surrounding the main figure will be smaller-scale elements inspired by Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels: giant books, towers, fantastical structures, and walls evoking the classic illustrations of Lilliput. The complex is conceived as a unified narrative play system, not as isolated pieces.
The park will have an estimated capacity of 250 people, will be fenced and lit, and will close at night.
An urban planning agreement with the IVO as the origin
The project stems from an urban planning agreement between the City of Valencia and the IVO Foundation, linked to the expansion of the cancer hospital. Construction will be carried out by the Foundation, which will subsequently transfer the space to the city for maintenance and public management.
The estimated timelines are one month for project design and six months for construction. The technical team includes urban planners, landscape architects, agricultural engineers, and civil engineers.
Reading the book, the inspiration for the design
Vicente Vidal, technical director of Kiwi Playground, explained that the team reviewed Swift’s work directly before tackling the design: “We saw that Gulliver continues his adventure and begins to interact with the people of Lilliput. We loved that image of Gulliver sitting in a castle—a large, unique element—so that children can interact with it and feel as though he is watching the people playing in the park.”
Regarding the materials, Vidal noted that high-density fiberglass, steel, and hardwoods will be used: “These are materials we have been working with for a long time; they are very durable and easy to maintain.”
The new space will join the original Gulliver, inaugurated more than 35 years ago in the same garden, and the future Gulliver’s Ship planned for the Parc de Desembocadura, thus completing a thematic axis along the river.
