Over-arching Research Question – (Version 9)
How can we create an experiential, dynamic, biophilic free play space for children in order to nurture holistic development and provide a prototype for developing a child-friendly community space?
Keywords –
Children, dynamic, biophilic, experiential, free play space, nurture, holistic development, prototype, child-friendly, community
Research Aims/ Sub-questions–
To explore the role of free play spaces in nurturing children.
To re-conceive spaces in order to enable natural creativity for children (aged 2-7 years) and encourage social interaction between children and also with adults.
To enhance experiential quality of spaces for children by encouraging multi-sensory free play and inspiring interaction with nature.
To use Biophilia and Bio-mimicry as a design tool to enhance the contact with nature
To develop a prototype (universal solution) of an experiential biophilic space for children that can be adapted in every neighborhood in order to promote child friendly community spaces.
Positioning Statement
I am interested in investigating through this research project, the role of multi-sensorial free play spaces and biophilia in nurturing children. I would explore the idea of creating a prototype of an experiential, interactive space for children which would encourage their natural creativity, imagination, holistic development and enhance their social interaction.
I am influenced by the report by Arup (UK based design firm) in the article “How to Design Cities for Children” – Designing Better Urban Spaces for Kids in City Lab by writer Mimi Kirk which advocates having better child-friendly cities and creating better neighborhoods locally than creating large museum/ parks which only few children can access. A smaller transitional space in every neighborhood for children will be more useful for local children than making larger infrastructure used mostly by tourists. As a starting point for my research this article helped me define my research proposal and locate it. I would like my research proposal to be a community space for children which is easily accessible locally and invites social interaction in a neighborhood.
I would explore the idea of outdoor-indoor transition space for children which can encourage free play, discovery, learning and holistic development. The article “Children’s Outdoor Play & Learning Environments: Returning to Nature” by Randy White & Vicki Stoecklin adds to this inspiration of my research and emphasizes the need for dynamic free play areas for children. The ideas of ‘discovery play garden’, ‘unstructured creative play’, ‘loose objects’ in nature mentioned in the article will be explored through my project. The article inspires me towards creating a more biophilic design and assures my belief about the importance of children’s interaction with nature and its scope in learning. The idea of indoor-outdoor seamlessness which I aim to create is well incorporated by architect Takaharu Tezuka in the project ‘Fuji Kindergarten’ as described in the article “Kids and the city: how do you build the perfect space for children?”- The Guardian by writer Libby Brooks. The elements like the roof being a playground and trees puncturing the huge roof in Fuji Kindergarten project are interesting clues for my project to create interactive, experiential, narrative spaces. Tezuka’s implication towards creating spaces where children can be encouraged to experience different seasons/climates and different natural environments is interesting to explore as he also warns against the prevailing culture being risk averse.
I would use drawing (sketching, architectural representation and digital imaging) and model making to trace narratives about children’s free play spaces and the experience through it. I am interested in exploring how biophilia and bio-mimicry will add curiosity, discovery and tactile experience for children and enhance this spatial narration. I would use material boards/ mood boards to understand, test and enhance sensory experiences in these spatial narratives. Concepts, elements and ideas derived from my readings and case studies would be used to explore spatial qualities which enhance social interaction between children and adults and can help develop better community spaces. I will also explore how these spatial qualities can be adapted to different cultural contexts and environmental contexts. It is my aim that through this research we can evolve a spatial prototype which will support and encourage urban designers and city planners to develop child-friendly communities in the future.
Bibliography
- Brooks, Libby ” Kids and the city: how do you build the perfect space for children?”. The Guardian. 20 December 2016
- Dudek, Mark. “Children’s Spaces”. 2005.
- Green, Nicole & Turner, Michelle. “Creating Children’s Spaces, Children Co-Creating Place”. Journal of Childhood Studies. 2017
- Kellert, Stephen & Heerwagen, Judith & Mador, Martin. “Biophilic Design: The Theory, Science and Practice of Bringing Buildings to Life”. January 2008.
- Kirk, Mimi. “How to Design Cities for Children” Designing Better Urban Spaces for Kids – City Lab. 2February 2018. www.citylab.com
- Lee, Hyo C.; Park, Sung J. “Assessment of Importance and Characteristics of Biophilic Design Patterns in a Children’s Library.” Sustainability 10. 2018.
- Olds, Anita Rui. “Child Care Design Guide, Author Biography.” McGraw Hill Education, Professional. 11 Feb. 2013.
- Russel, Alexia. “Where – and how – will the children play?”. Newsroom.
September 12, 2018. http://www.newsroom.co.nz - Van Doorn, Fenne & Gielen, Mathieu & Jan Stappers, Pieter. “Children as co-researchers: More than just a role-play”. 2014.
- White, Randy & Stoecklin, Vicki. “Children’s Outdoor Play & Learning Environments: Returning to Nature”. 1998-2011
- White, S.T. “Big Thinking, Little Humans: How to Design for Children”. Metropolis. February 13, 2017.
- Zamani, Zahra. “Young Children’s Preferences: What Stimulates Children’s Cognitive Play in Outdoor Preschools?” Journal of Early Childhood Research 15, no. 3. September 2017.
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