TY - JOUR

T1 - Exploring the inclusion of children from a spatial perspective

T2 - An analytical framework of the correlation between physical environment and children's inclusion in urban public spaces

AU - Ding, Peng

AU - Carstensen, Trine Agervig

AU - Jørgensen, Gertrud

N1 - Keywords: Social inclusion; Children inclusion; Spatial characteristic; Public life; Playing children in urban public space; Urban regeneration

PY - 2024/10

Y1 - 2024/10

N2 - Public spaces, by their physical environment design, are intended to be accessible to all and significantly contribute to children's development. Existing research on the inclusion of children often overlooks the influence of the public spaces' physical environment. Hence, the understanding of how children's public life is spatiallyintegrated into public spaces is insufficient. This article explores the spatial potential of the physical environment to include children within broader public life in urban public spaces. It aims to suggest an analytical framework, termed spatial inclusiveness, for examining or prescribing the spatial inclusion of children in public spaces. This was done by mapping the spatial characteristics of 148 public spaces with public playgrounds in Copenhagen, Denmark. It resulted in 16 categories grouped into five parameters, which involve diverse spatial characteristics describing different degrees of spatial connection and visual connection between public playgrounds and their adjacent public spaces. By elaborating on the relationship between the physical environment and their spatial potential for including playing children, the framework strives to capture connections between urban regeneration's physical and social dimensions. The framework provides urban designers, planners, and city authorities insight into improving the inclusion of public spaces from a spatial perspective with guidance and recommendations.

AB - Public spaces, by their physical environment design, are intended to be accessible to all and significantly contribute to children's development. Existing research on the inclusion of children often overlooks the influence of the public spaces' physical environment. Hence, the understanding of how children's public life is spatiallyintegrated into public spaces is insufficient. This article explores the spatial potential of the physical environment to include children within broader public life in urban public spaces. It aims to suggest an analytical framework, termed spatial inclusiveness, for examining or prescribing the spatial inclusion of children in public spaces. This was done by mapping the spatial characteristics of 148 public spaces with public playgrounds in Copenhagen, Denmark. It resulted in 16 categories grouped into five parameters, which involve diverse spatial characteristics describing different degrees of spatial connection and visual connection between public playgrounds and their adjacent public spaces. By elaborating on the relationship between the physical environment and their spatial potential for including playing children, the framework strives to capture connections between urban regeneration's physical and social dimensions. The framework provides urban designers, planners, and city authorities insight into improving the inclusion of public spaces from a spatial perspective with guidance and recommendations.

U2 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2024.105293

DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2024.105293

M3 - Journal article

VL - 153

JO - Cities

JF - Cities

SN - 0264-2751

M1 - 105293

ER -