Have you ever considered how spaces are perceived, experienced, and enjoyed from a height of 95 cm? Considering urban design from the child's perspective is essential for fostering inclusive, healthy, and secure cities. Components tailored to these needs benefit children and enhance the experience for adults, the elderly, and people with disabilities. Blocks play a pivotal role in this discourse as key urban elements. These spaces provide several opportunities for utilization and adaptation within urban environments. They can be modified and designed in diverse ways, incorporating strategies to better cater to the specific needs of children.
Investing in urban design strategies focused on the children's scale benefits the public and the entire community. Cities that prioritize the well-being of children tend to be more livable for all ages, promoting a sense of community, urban vitality, and quality of life. By considering the needs of children in urban planning, we can build more resilient and harmonious cities for the present and the future.
Recognizing the importance of children for urban design is not just a matter of ensuring that they have safe spaces to play but also of fostering environments and strategies that promote their physical, emotional, and cognitive well-being. First and foremost, it is essential to understand that children experience cities at a different height and speed than adults. They face higher vulnerability to street hazards, including heavy traffic and air pollution, and often have fewer skills to navigate the city safely.
The blocks, with their changes in typology, use, volumetric changes, and different relationships with the surroundings, can be thought of in numerous ways and vary widely according to the characteristics of a specific community or neighborhood. Below, we have compiled a list of ten urban design strategies focused on children that can be applied to blocks so that these elements can be drivers of improvements in cities not only for the child audience but for all citizens.
Planning Shorter Blocks
Create shorter blocks or interrupt existing ones with alleys to enhance permeability and provide more walking route options.
Reducing Traffic Speed
The design of a street plays a crucial role in determining the speed at which drivers operate. To reduce the passing traffic speed, consider minimizing the number of general traffic lanes and incorporating horizontal and vertical deflection elements, like chicanes and speed-calming platforms as needed. Additionally, for turning speeds, focus on narrowing curb radii and designing compact intersections.
Creating Wide and Accessible Sidewalks
Prioritize pedestrians by ensuring that sidewalks are walkable, continuous, safe, and accessible. Build new sidewalks where they do not exist, widen them if they are too narrow, and repair old or poorly maintained sidewalks that pose accessibility challenges.
Planting Trees
Plant trees and use landscaping to increase the comfort of children and caregivers while walking. The presence of nature and landscaping in urban streets encourages children and caregivers to spend more time there, stimulates play, learning, and creativity, and improves mental health.
Improving Pedestrian Crossings
All pedestrian crossings should be marked, spaced closely together, and constructed at street level, irrespective of the material or paving pattern. It is crucial to ensure the visibility and maintenance of essential road markings, and new markings should be added as needed.
Building or Improving Cycling Infrastructure
Protected bike lanes are the best option for all street users. Ensure the safety of cyclists by installing protected bike lanes on streets with higher traffic volume or transforming streets with lower volume and speeds into shared streets.
Creating Rest Areas
Integrate small and large spaces for children and caregivers to rest and enjoy the streets. Seating, nooks, parklets, and squares provide opportunities for rest and play spaces.
Adding Playful and Educational Elements
Streets are part of children's daily routines and offer space to integrate play and learning. Provide opportunities for unstructured play on sidewalks, squares, and near public transport stops by adding elements such as murals, artworks, and installations.
Improving Accessibility
Seek to improve staircases, emergency vehicle access, and essential service provision. Consider creative mobility solutions like escalators or cable cars for improved transportation.
Eye-Catching Surfaces
Murals, puzzles, games, and two- and three-dimensional artworks on or near facades encourage children to play and interact with the edges of buildings. Use textures and impressions on sidewalks and other horizontal surfaces. Seek to engage all senses. Elements that incorporate acoustics, reflections, shadows, and play of light can be applied to all floor and construction surfaces.
Source: Designing Streets for Kids, developed by the Global Designing Cities Initiative (GDCI).
