03/2004 | Children Design the Future |
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by Megan M. Susman AIA members and components across the country work with schools and youth groups to teach children about the design and planning of communities and buildings. Students learn the nuts and bolts of design and that their involvement can shape the way their communities grow. This early exposure to participating in design processes can help these children grow up to be involved, informed citizens. Three recent publications also can be helpful to architects interested in involving children in community design. Half to three-quarters of all children in developed nations live in urban areas, and the same will soon be true of the developing world. These resources can help architects and others to engage urban youth in making their cities positive places to grow up. The
importance of “hanging out” The book lays out the arguments for involving children in design and planning, not the least of which are that children are particularly vulnerable to environmental threats and have a legitimate right to add their voice to development discussions. “Places that are better for young people are better for everyone,” Driskell points out. The book uses worksheets, check lists, case studies, simple flow charts, and other user-friendly tools to make the process accessible even to people with little or no experience in public participation processes—or with children. It suggests exercises for children of various age levels and gives detailed guidelines on basic participatory methods, including informal observation, interviews, drawing, activity schedules, family and support networks, role-play and puppetry, guided tours, photographs by young people, behavior mapping, questionnaires and surveys, focus groups and small-group discussions, and workshops and community events. Each method’s section includes the purpose of the technique, the time and materials required, ideas for maximizing the children’s participation, and a guide to the process, along with vignettes and photos from projects on every continent except Antarctica. Driskell offers advice on dealing with young people, including treating them with respect, establishing trust, expressing appreciation to them, and developing a rapport. He is a great proponent of “hanging out,” spending time with the children outside of the structured participation process. He describes the experience of one adult in India whose “hanging out” time with the local boys led to their showing him their “secret places,” which they had not mentioned to the adults and were important to their play and independence from parents. “This information—and many of the insights that followed—might have remained undiscovered without the time spent ‘just hanging out,’” Driskell notes. Poignant
case studies A
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