What makes a city child friendly? The amount of time children spend - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

What makes a city child friendly? “The amount of time children spend playing outdoors, their ability to get around independently, and their level of contact with nature are strong indicators of how a city is performing, not just for children but for all generations of city dwellers. If cities fail to address the needs of children, they risk economic and cultural impacts as families move away.” Cities Alive: Designing for Urban Childhoods Arup

The space that children need at home • An adequate number of family homes of 4 or 5 bedrooms, in proportion to local need. • Each family unit designed with enough private space for children and young people to do their homework, play and have friends to visit. 
 Family units: • on the first 5 floors to allow children to move freely between home and the outside space, lessening a sense of the isolation that can make children prisoners in their homes and lead to depression and obesity and • give inter-visibility between the home and the outside space. This leads to a stronger feeling of security which encourages the child to play independently from parents or carers

Liza Fior, MUF Plot 8, Level 3

Plot 8 Podium 02.2.06 02.4.05 02.2.07 02.3.04 2B 4P 02.4.04 2B 4P 1B 2P 02.3.03 1B 2P 02.4.03 1B 2P 72 m ² 02.3.02 02.3.05 73 m ² 52 m ² 1B 2P DDA Flat 2B 3P 53 m ² 2B 3P 2B 3P 55 m ² DDA Flat 54 m ² 67 m ² 67 m ² 69 m ² 7.3.1 Design Rationale CORE 2 CORE 4 CORE 3 02.2.05 02.4.06 02.4.01 1B 2P 1B 2P 02.4.02 This design option focuses on the 1B 2P 53 m ² 52 m ² 02.2.08 02.3.06 1B 2P 54 m ² 02.3.01 02.3.07 1B 2P 1B 2P 56 m ² 1B 2P 1B 2P 52 m ² 55 m ² 52 m ² straight lines and linear arrangements, 54 m ² drawing on the primary geometry of John 02.4.07 Evelyn’s design for Sayes Court 2B 3P 65 m ² DDA Flat Gardens. Large areas of lawn create 02.2.04 2B 3P open spaces for people to sit, while 71 m ² planted areas create spaces for quiet 02.2.03 2B 3P 02.4.09 02.2.02 1B 2P 71 m ² conversation and reflection. 1B 2P 55 m ² 02.4.08 55 m ² DDA Flat 2B 3P DDA Flat 67 m ² DDA Flat The design of the podium incorporates level changes in order to accommodate trees on both sides of the space, while PODIUM 02.5.03 also creating an interesting environment 2B 3P 02.1.08 67 m ² 02.5.02 1B 2P DDA Flat 1B 2P for people and seating edges to planters. 02.1.07 57 m ² 2B 3P 56 m ² DDA Flat DDA Flat 71 m ² 02.1.06 Play is accommodated by means of a 2B 3P 71 m ² playable landscape area which wraps 02.5.04 2B 3P 65 m ² around the central space, and is DDA Flat integrated into the overall design while 02.1.09 02.5.01 1B 2P 1B 2P 51 m ² also o ff ering play value for younger 50 m ² 02.1.05 02.5.05 children ( 0-4 years old) 1B 2P 1B 2P 52 m ² 53 m ² 02.1.01 02.5.09 1B 2P 1B 2P 53 m ² 50 m ² CORE 1 CORE 5 Design and Access Statement p. 132 02.1.04 02.5.08 02.5.06 2B 3P 2B 4P 02.5.07 02.1.03 02.1.02 2B 4P 68 m ² 77 m ² 1B 2P 1B 2P 2B 3P 75 m ² DDA Flat 50 m ² 51 m ² DDA Flat 72 m ²

Note - • Play space is provided only for the under 5’s • Older children are expected to play ‘o ff -site’ • Play space is allocated on the basis that 14 under 5’s inhabit the 275 1 bedroom and 181 2 bedroom flats in Plot 8


 Note - The approach is to say that young children cannot judge whether or not their use of play equipment is safe. Children learn from taking measured risks and trial and error even at an early age. 
 A risk benefit assessment (RBA) should be carried out.

Podium Elevation COLOUR RAL 7016 AND WHITE COLOUR PERFORATED ALUMINIUM SOFFIT PANELS. 8 2 2 8 14 19 2 12 13 12 14 2 19

What kind of outdoor space do children need? • Children need an outdoor space for free play next to their homes which is visible from and to their home and which they have free access to, that is that there are no impediments to them moving between their homes and this play space. • Formal playgrounds should be adventurous and not risk averse, with natural materials such as logs, sand, water; a shed to store ‘loose parts’ pods, that is a collection of cardboard boxes, sticks, planks, hammers, nails, containers found arounds the house etc. • They need green space with trees, grass, mud and wildlife such as insects, bees, squirrels and so on and a place to grow vegetables. • There should be a space for older children to assemble with their friends without interference from adults

Where do children play?

London Borough of Lewisham Policy Delivery of an appropriate mix and type of housing and in line with the London Plan, is Core Strategy Policy 1 (Housing provision, mix and a ff ordability). This states: • “The Council will seek the maximum provision of a ff ordable housing with a strategic target for 50% a ff ordable housing.... • The provision of family housing (3+ bedrooms) will be expected as part of any new development within 10 or more dwellings... • For a ff ordable housing, the Council will seek a mix of 42% as family dwellings (3+ bedrooms).” DM Policy 30 (Urban Design and Local Character) requires all new development to attain a high standard of design which should include: • a ...an urban form which contributes to the local distinctiveness such as ... building features and uses, roofscape, open space and views... • b Height, scale and mass which relates to the urban typology... • c Degree of ornamentation, use of materials...which should reflect the context... • d Development at ground level which provides activity and visual interest for the public including the pedestrian environment and provide passive surveillance with the incorporation of doors and windows to provide psychical and visual links between buildings and the public domain... DM Policy 32 (Housing Design, Layout and Space Standards) outlines the Council’s expectation that all new residential development should be: • a attractive and neighbourly; • b provide a satisfactory level of privacy, outlook and natural lighting both for its future residents and its neighbours; and • c meet the functional requirements of future residents.

Mayor’s London Plan Policy S4 Play and informal recreation B. Development proposals for schemes that are likely to be used by children and young people should: 1. increase opportunities for play and informal recreation and enable children and young people to be independently mobile 2. for residential developments, incorporate good-quality, accessible play provision for all ages, of at least 10 square metres per child that: • provides a stimulating environment • can be accessed safely from the street by children and young people independently • forms an integral part of the surrounding neighbourhood • incorporates trees and/or other forms of greenery. 3. incorporate accessible routes for children and young people to existing play provision, schools and youth centres, within the local area, that enable them to play and move around their local neighbourhood safely and independently 4. for large-scale public realm developments, incorporate incidental play space to make the space more playable 5. not result in the net loss of play provision, unless it can be demonstrated that there is no ongoing or future demand.

What should Lewisham ask the developers to do to make Plot 8 child friendly? • create family sized homes where children of all ages can have enough private space to do their homework, play and have friends to visit. • give inter-visibility between the home and the outside space • give children play spaces that are adventurous and not risk averse • create a space for older children to assemble with their friends without interference from adults

Links • www.arup.com/publications/research/section/cities- alive-designing-for-urban-childhoods • allianceforchildhoodorguk.files.wordpress.com/ 2017/12/l547_making-spaces-for-play_final_web.pdf • allianceforchildhoodorguk.files.wordpress.com/ 2017/12/sowing-the-seeds-full-report-copy.pdf • www.allianceforchildhood.org.uk/find-out-more/