Architectural Design and Methods Inspired by Children’s Culture and Creativity [Global Culture and Spatial Individualization

Abstract

The topic of children and adolescents in architecture was particularly explored in the modern era. This phenomenon was, among others, a result of contemporary social and demographic conditions as well as the development of social sciences and psychology. The 20th century, called a Century of the Child, was a period of specific ‘childhood worship’. It was a time of tremendous hopes placed in the young generation and its potential to rebuild the world. The result was that the ubiquitous theme of the child and childhood also appeared in architectural theory and practice. The purpose of the research is to answer a question How the topic of ‘child in architecture’ may inspire in the times of aging societies? Principal results of the research are to distinguish three aspects of the phenomenon of ‘child in architecture’. 1. A child was discovered as a user - special places were prepared for children – a zone of special characteristics at home and in the city, with design solutions inspired by the child’s developmental needs. 2. Children’s culture and creativity have become an inspiration for spatial solutions of the environment [designed for children and adults] and urban regeneration of the public space. 3. A child was asked to be a co-creator in the process of the participatory design, becoming an active user communicating needs, a partner inspiring future project activities. The subject of the child in architecture, discovered and explored in the last century, generated a new typology of solutions [directed to children or inspired by the culture of childhood]. Over time, patterns from the world of adults and children began to intertwine, creating a new type of multi-generational solutions in the public space. The child’s zone has been embedded in the architecture of the city in the concept of mixed use [which is a distinguishing feature of contemporary solutions]. Major conclusions of the paper: The homogenization, or the unification, of the culture is one of the effects of globalization. The individualization of design solutions [for example adaptation to the requirements of specific age groups of users] can be a way to resist unfavourable space unification processes. The paper is based on comparative studies of public utility buildings [serving in particular the purpose of out-of-school education] as well as observations and comparison of the work of practicing architects, students and children participating in workshop classes implemented at the Silesian University of Technology.