10 ideas to transform the future of public spaces
African public spaces are complex, especially so against the backdrop of fast urbanising cities and increasing socio-economic volatility. Public space in South Africa was, and in some instances still remains, a contentious issue due to apartheid spatial planning...Read more
The City of Changsha is China’s first child friendly city
The City of Changsha with support from the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy is the first city in China to include child-friendly initiatives in their city planning. The City of Changsha in Central China is...Read more
Pixelating our playgrounds
As parents, consumers, and citizens, how should we respond to the rise of digital technology in our parks? Children’s playgrounds are becoming increasingly digitised through the ubiquity of mobile devices and interactive games. Anyone with a...Read more
Architects reactivate space through play
Underused public spaces in Mexico City are to be reimagined by the winners of an innovative ‘Urban Toys’ competition to find the most playful designs. Karina Zatarain reports How can play areas in cities open up new ways to...Read more
Privatising public space ‘a democratic deficit’
The Guardian newspaper reports that many of Britain’s largest cities are refusing to reveal information regarding the private ownership of seemingly public spaces, fuelling concerns about a growing democratic deficit within local city government. A Guardian...Read more
Hamburg’s child friendly utopia within dystopia
The recent G20 summit in the German city of Hamburg made headlines around the world as people listened with a mixture of hope and dread for clues about the new world order, and watched as...Read more
Spatial stories of Dublin’s youth
During winter and spring of this year, a Dublin-based group of young people aged 16 and 17 came together to explore and share their everyday experiences of public space. Researcher Jackie Bourke takes up the...Read more
Age diversity for social cohesion
Creating public space that encourages social integration has never been more important. Here, Samuel Williams of planning specialists Arup, explains why child-friendly cities must adopt inter-generational design principles. ‘Designing cities for all’ is easy to say but if...Read more
Finding space for children in Istanbul’s new urban landscapes
Istanbul’s children are being crowded out by the rapid transformation of the city’s public realm. Bahar Aksel, Assistant Professor at the Mimar Sinan University of Fine Arts in Turkey makes the case for a fresh...Read more
Ghent conference says cities have vital role for refugee and migrant children
The conclusions of this year’s Child in the City conference, held in Ghent in November, have sent some strong messages to local policymakers and their municipalities about the need for greater commitments to holistic, long-term...Read more
Putting children and families first in North Vancouver
This is the first in a three-part series by the Canadian urbanist and writer, Jillian Glover: “Cities for Children and Families”. The series will showcase how local governments, non-profits and developers, in Canada and around the world, are...Read more
How to engage kids and community in playground design
How can we learn what children and adults want and need in playgrounds? And how can we make sure that those playgrounds are a vital public space? These questions were front and center when I participated...Read more
Gangmakers & Koplopers — children exploring, experiencing and imagining urban pathways
Gangmakers & Koplopers (Pace-setters & Front-runners) is a one-year pilot project currently running in various neighbourhoods in Ghent, Belgium. During a series of playful art and design workshops, various groups of children explore, experience and...Read more
Public space affects young people’s access to socialise and play
Research indicates that adolescence is a period of significant mental and social development, where peer influence and a developing a sense of belonging are critical issues as young people become more susceptible to the effects of...Read more