Interweaving Computational and Tacit Knowledge to Design Nature-Based Play Networks in Underserved Communities

Yiru Zhang,Hong Wu,Ken Tamminga

doi:10.3390/land11030350

Abstract

Children are often the most disadvantaged cohort during miserable situations of natural disaster, economic crisis, and environmental degradation. Meanwhile, children’s play is increasingly controlled, costly, and standardized with engineered structures and surfaces rather than infused with natural processes and organic materials. Access to nature-based playscapes in underserved neighborhoods is extremely limited, impacted by disparities of race, class, and gender. In these contexts, neglected vacant lots and streets and related interstitial spaces can be redesigned as playscapes that support active, engaged, meaningful, and socially interactive play. Our study addresses the ample opportunity to re-engage kids and city nature in underserved neighborhoods in Philadelphia and Pennsylvania. Methodologically, we balance systemic GIS spatial data approaches with informal and experiential—or tacit—site-based analyses. This mixed-methods approach helps identify local patterns of insecurity, children’s circulation, and natural resource possibilities. Finally, a play network with eight playscape themes is revealed as an emergent pattern that we termed green play infrastructure. These themes provide examples of activities and opportunities for future programs that fit their surrounding context. The mixed-methods approach fills a gap in children’s play literature and illustrates how green play infrastructure can serve as a key strategy in improving children’s lives in disadvantaged neighborhoods.

Highlights

Through an applied design case study in an underserved, inner-core neighborhood of Philadelphia, this paper explores emerging perspectives on playscape systems, considering both play value and ecological literacy
The overarching research question is: From the perspective of landscape planning and design, how can we reconnect children playfully with natural processes and formulate a contextual system for natural play in underserved urban neighborhoods? We focus on common, everyday open spaces–especially those leftover spaces and streets which offer great social and ecological impacts with relatively moderate resource investment
We first elaborate on the neighborhood-scale spatial data approach through computational and tacit knowledge mapping and discuss the conceptual design process for the chosen neighborhood

Summary

Introduction

Eighty percent of Americans live in metropolitan areas. Many of these areas severely lack child-friendly parks or public spaces that accommodate accessible natural processes and features. Few neighborhoods are designed with the needs of young people in mind during the planning, design, and management of urban built form, and children’s perspectives and preferences are rarely considered in adapting local environments [2,3]. Children in underserved neighborhoods especially experience disparities in access to nature since parks and natural resources are not equitably distributed in features and quality [5,6]. These children appear to be exceptionally unlikely to participate in activities outside of school, missing out on growth-enriching opportunities [7]

Methods

Results

Conclusion