Developing a Street’s Design Guide for Child Play:

Transform street and road in between Residential Area into a ‘Shared Space’

1.1 Introduction

The overall intention of this report is to produce an Urban Ecology prototype proposal which aims to develope a street design guide for child play. Initiate interaction with children, analyse their interpretation of play. The idea will be applied in existing residential area. There are no specific sites. However, 3 different residential area site will be chooses to test the idea of play in the street. The 3 sites are Hampstead, East Ham and Caning Town. The street in these residential area will be reconfigurated and regulated for children to play.

The specific aim for the proposal is to transform street and road in between residential area into a ‘shared space’, where children have priority to play and local people in the residential area could help to keep an eye on them. As nowaday, play area is not enough and the street/road in front of the houses seen only cars have the priority to used instead of local children. Furthermore, most play area is far away from residential area. This can be very inconvenient to children who live around the residential area, as they could only play when their parents have time to bring them out to the playground and this seen to be not enough for them. Children should not only play by their own, they should also play and have communication with other local children. For example, their neighbour’s children.

The proposal will start with research related to ‘ Child Play’. ‘Child Play’ is always playing a important role in the process of children growing up. More importantly, children is pillar of the future. The involment of children in play make them clear about social reality. Moreover, the consideration of ‘Child Play’ is important and they should be part of urban planning.

Regulate the space for children to play in existing residential area is the specific aim for this prototype. An analysis and comparison of ‘shared space’ apply in different pattern and location of residential area, will form the proposal prototype.

The objective for my urban prototype is:

PLAY PROVISION ON THE STREET.• BETTER PLAY COULD BE PROVIDED.• REGULATED THE SPACES WHERE •

CHILDREN CAN PLAY

HOW DO YOU REGULATED ROAD/STREET FOR CHILDREN DEREGULATED?

1.2 Methodology

The report is to develop an urban ecology prototype which can be apply in any axisting residential area in United Kingdom. Moreover, ‘the street design guide for child play’ has flexibility, where it could be design in the way of following the site condition. This example of apply will be show in 3 sites of residential area I have chosen in London. The main goals is to promote the important of ‘child play’ in bringing up a child and for nowaday society.

The report will start from broad view of society inffluence in ‘the process of child growth’ with different mentally and emotional health case studies, the surrounding ‘environment’ inffluence, and later narrow down to location and type of playground. Moreover, will discuss parking issues and problem faces by most residential area to have more support and reason the need to apply ‘shared space’ in residential area. The site analysis and design proposal of the 3 sites of residential area in London will come after all above ‘ Child Growth’ analysis.

The method is as follows:

CONTEXT•

CASE STUDIES•

POTENTIAL TRANSFORMATION • SITE ANALYSIS

DESIGN PROPOSAL•

CONSEQUENCES OF PROPOSAL • AT THE URBAN SCALE

Contents

1. CONTEXT: 6 1.1 Introduction 61.2 Methodology 61.3 Regulation - ‘Jetty Structure’ 71.4 No Regulation - ‘Play’ 81.5 Process of Children Growth 81.6 Children in City & Villages 81.7 Play Area Location & Type of Playground1.8 Ergonomics for Kids 1.9 CABE- Play Space 1.10Problems face by Residential Area1.11Concept of ‘Shared Space’

2. CASE STUDIES: 6 2.1 Hayward Gallery’s Sculpture for Child Play, South Bank Waterfront 162.2 Children’s Garden Early Years, University of East London 162.3 Side streets have cars and pedestrians mingling freely, Oxford Street

3. POTENTIAL TRANSFORMATION SITE ANALYSIS: 63.1 Three Site Introduction 103.2 Site 1 Site Analysis -Hampstead 113.3 Site 2 Site Analysis-East Ham 123.4 Site 3 Site Analysis-Caning Town 12 4. DESIGN PROPOSAL: 6 4.1 Concept of Design Proposal4.2 Site 1 Design Proposal -Hampstead 11 4.23 Plan of Existing Site & Design Proposal 26 4.24 Section of Existing Site & Design Proposal 264.3 Site 2 Design Proposal -East Ham 11 4.33 Plan of Existing Site & Design Proposal 26 4.34 Section of Existing Site & Design Proposal 264.4 Site 3 Design Proposal -Caning Town 11 4.43 Plan of Existing Site & Design Proposal 26 4.44 Section of Existing Site & Design Proposal 26 4.5 Photomontage Concept of Design Proposal 26

5. CONSEQUENCES OF PROPOSAL AT THE URBAN SCALE: 6 5.1 After Transformation Site 1 -Hampstead 115.2 After Transformation Site 2 -Caning Town 115.3 After Transformation Site 3 -East Ham 11

CONCLUSION 54

References 56Biography 57Appendix 58

Photomontage Concept of Design Proposal

CABE- Play Space

Spatial dimension: linking land use to community facilities- the spatial distribution of open space provisionShaping neighbourhoods, Barton, Grant and Guise, 2003.

2.2 Children’s Garden Early Years, University of East London

Children’s Garden is located at the University of East London, Docklands Campus enjoying fabu-lous waterfront views. It provides a beautiful and peaceful space where learning and exploration can be nurtured. The kindergarden is filled with natural toys and resources and are designed to of-fer a warm and caring environment for children. Moreover, Children’s Garden is a Steiner Waldorf inspired kindergarten. It offers kindergarten and afternoon care for children aged 3 to 6, and Parent Child Playgroup for infants and Toddlers.

From the kindergarten, could find out the indoor and outdoor spaces is designed to fit the scale of children. For example, the indoor corridor (see fig 6), the indoor play area with toys (see fig 7), the out-door play area (see fig 8), and the pavement walk-way on the children’s garden (see fig 9).

The outdoor play area with the wooden toys show the amount of area children may needed for play and how children used the spaces (see fig 10). The children need a storage box to store the wooden toys (see fig 11), so that they could use the outdoor play area in more flexible way. They could take out the amount of wooden toys they needed or keep everything into the storage box when they don’t need them to play.

Nursery Site Plan

Nursery

Children Play

Figure 9: Pavement Walkway on the chil-

Birdeye View

Figure 8: Outdoor Play Figure 6: Indoor Cor- Figure 7: Indoor Play Area

Figure 10: Outdoor Play Area with the Figure 11: Storage

Figure 12: Lay out Figure 13: Lay out following the Figure 14: Group together in organ- Figure 15: Leave some hole in

2.1 Hayward Gallery’s Sculpture for Child Play, South Bank Waterfront

Figure 11: Sculpture - Children Adventure Public Space Site Plan Birdeye View

Sculpture (Children Adventure Play

Waterfront Walk-

Figure 11: Children play on the sculpture

The South Bank waterfront is home to the top tourist attractions in Lambeth which include London arts favourites like the British Film Institute (BFI), the Hayward Gallery, the Royal Festival Hall and top London family attractions like the London Eye and County Hall family attractions. It also works as a main public space for londoner, especially during weekends, many parents bring their children to the waterfront public spaces.

In South Bank waterfront, there is one places which attract children to play on it, which is the sculp-ture that place in front of the National Theatre. For children, they found this is a adventure playground where they could test their limit to get on it.

CASE STUDIES:

CONCEPT OF DESIGN PROPOSAL:

2.3 Side streets have cars and pedestrians mingling freely, Oxford Street

Shared Space could apply on minor street, where it could used by both cars and pedestrian.

To create a street in between residential area which big enough for children to play, is the only way to let children be able to have the access to other children which they need. Moreover, the neighbourhood could help to keep an eye on children safety when the children play in between the residential area.

Refer to the following Hampstead, Easr Ham and Canning Town’s site map could find out most of the housing area place next to the minor street. Less car passing through the minor street, which make it have the potential to transform part of the street into Children Play Area.

Moreover, the location of play area like playground and park seen to be not convenient for children to reach there. This could also refer to CABE (refer to CABE ?), where play space should located within 100miles (200miles is the maximum). The play space location of those residential area seen not reach the minimum requirement of CABE. This cause the children can’t play by their own and the need of parents accompany. This seen to be not healthy enough for children growth and may cause them can’t have enough play in their childhood.

In the propose Children Play Area/ Shared Space, woodens toys and storage will be provided. The Play Area is like a flexible playground, where children could create their own space and toys with their creativity. This seen to be more attarctive than a permanent playground as they could also colonising the small little play area with other neighbourhood’s children.

Proposing Plan 1:500scale

Proposing Section 1:150scale

Hampstead Site Map 1:1500scale

Study Area

Primary Road

Secondary Road

Minor Road

Park

Playground

Housing

Building of Interest

Key :

Connection between Hampstead Residential Area and Local Play Area

Playground with Long Fences

Figure 1: Shops and Housing Area

Figure 2: Playground with fences & the need of parents accompany to get to the playground

Figure 3: Playground and Park located next to road junction with a lot of traffic

Problems faced by the Hampstead Residential Area:

Many local shops place next to Housing Area. People who like to drop into the local shops, may drive through the housing area and used the neighbourhood’s parking. This may cause the front space of housing area used as outsider parking area and no longer for local people used.(see fig 1)

Playground with fences that obstruct the children to used it.(see fig 2)

Playground and Park located next to road junc-tion with a lot of traffic. Children not able to reach there easily by their own. They need par-ents accompany to use the local playground, that may cause they can’t have enough play in their childhood. (see fig 3)

HAMPSTEAD - POTENTIAL TRANSFORMATION SITE ANALYSIS

HAMPSTEAD - DESIGN PROPOSAL

The Play Area places in the corner of the residential area, as the road on left is main secondary road which is not safe for children to play. Moreover, the play area could also be seen from the corner of the housing, which help to attarct more children to use the space.

google map

Proposing Plan 1:500scale

Proposing Section 1:150scale

EAST HAM - POTENTIAL TRANSFORMATION SITE ANALYSIS

EAST HAM- DESIGN PROPOSAL

East Ham Site Map 1:2500scale

Study Area

Primary Road

Secondary Road

Minor Road

Park

Playground

Housing

Building of Interest

Key :

Connection between East Ham Residential Area and Local Play Area

Playground with Long Fences

Figure 1: Playground in Altmore Children’s Centre

Figure 2: Playground with Fences

Problems faced by the East Ham Residential Area:

The nearest playground in the residential area is located next to the Altmore Children’s Centre. The playground only opened during school term time. During the term holiday, local children can’t used the playground. (see fig 1)

The playground located far away from most of the residential area. Children not able to reach the playground easily. Playground with fences that obstruct the children to used it. The above prob-lems, may cause they can’t have enough play in their childhood. (see fig 2)

The Play Area places in the middle of the long terraces, as the terraces facing each other is quite dense. Moreover, end of the street is next to the secondary road which is not safe enough for children to play. This play area proposal could apply in most of the long terraces in United Kingdom.

google map

Proposing Plan 1:500scale

Proposing Section 1:150scale

CANNING TOWN- POTENTIAL TRANSFORMATION SITE ANALYSIS

CANNING TOWN- DESIGN PROPOSAL

Canning Town Site Map 1:2000scale

Study Area

Primary Road

Secondary Road

Minor Road

Park

Playground

Housing

Building of Interest

Key :

Connection between Canning Town Residential Area and Local Play Area

Playground with Long Fences

Figure 1: High Density residential area with mix of apartments

Problems faced by the Canning Town Residential Area:

High density residential area with mix of apartments and terraces may need more play area to gather the local children.This could help to improve connection between local kids(see fig 1)

The Play Area places next to the junction of the residential area, as the minor road place next to the dead space of the housing corner which seen to be safe for children to play and continue the existing pavement language. Moreover, it place in the junction, could attract children from the apartment and terraces more easily.

google map