Journal of Engineering and Architecture

A Participatory Educational Experiment of Engaging Children in Reshaping Built Environments - A Mutual Impact: Children and Cityscapes
Dania Abdel-Aziz, Hanin I. Shuqair

Abstract
This paper addresses the need for transformational changes and adaptations in city-design thinking of today, on both local Jordanian and international levels; adaptations that are to make cities of today more inclusive, sustainable and resilient. The change in viewing conventional planning processes discussed is to further enhance global design and planning shifts towards participatory planning by embracing new input from different city users; also children, where their ideas are to be creatively channelled into creating quality living spaces and enhance place-making mechanisms. This research aims at shedding light on both the possibility and capability of integrating children in different design tasks regarding improving their environments. This research also emphasizes on the importance of giving children an opportunity to express their views and gain an understanding and appreciation of how planning is intimately linked to many aspects of their daily lives and the future of their communities, but also incorporating their imagination and experiences into making better places for happier people of all ages, on many city scales. Through a series of carefully designed workshops, children's perception of their built environments, their experiences, their judgement and decision-making on finding solutions and alternatives to problems of resource allocation for example, spatial relationships among different land uses, proximity of health facilities and educational services and environmental protection were explored, based on what they themselves would like to change in reference to their own daily lives. Qualitative observations were taken and analysed, and afterwards summarized and compared to prevailing planning and design practices and concepts.

Full Text: PDF     DOI: 10.15640/jea.v6n1a4