Childifying : a child-centered socio-spatial integration approach

Sammanfattning: In the last decades, socio-spatial fragmentation has become a growing problem in the urban environment. This thesis aims to offer knowledge on how a child-centered spatial approach, termed Childifying, can help overcome socio-spatial fragmentation. Childifying is formulated by making a strategy and site-specific design for urban open space transformation in the neighborhood of Southern Friedrichstadt in Berlin. The term Childifying means to make the urban environment more child friendly and less fragmented. Methods used for building knowledge and developing the approach were literature study and site reading. The landscape research method traveling transect was the methodological framework for the site reading and included on site interviews, on site exploration and literature and archive studies. Planning and policy scenarios promoting safer mobility, play, exercise and outdoor education are recommended. The site-specific design scenarios propose connecting the neighborhood schools to inside and outside areas of opportunities that can be temporary classrooms for the children. There, children from different schools meet and get to know each other, making the schools and the community more connected. Scenarios also propose safer routes for children by making car-free and shared streets, implementing a children's boulevard and a web of play and exercise stations. Different types of child-centered events for the neighborhood are also proposed. To Childify Southern Friedrichstadt is a transferable planning and design approach that can be adapted to other urban sites dealing with socio-spatial fragmentation. 'childifying means making urban environment more child friendly in the same way as densifying means more dense. And through that less socio-spatial fragmented.