Empowering All Children - A Children Complex
Prague 07 is a district with a lot of potential and exciting places where individuals enjoy the services and facilities it provides for them, however, much like every city, it does not consider children in its design. Children often have to adjust and fit into adult-designed spaces that are not designed for their bodies or with them in mind. Children often have clear designated spaces which are often highlighted with a brightly coloured red swing or yellow slide, but that should not be the case. Play should not be constrained or contained in designated places, play should be integrated within their city and within their everyday life.
Besides the often poorly designed spaces for children, there are autistic children that need further attention when it comes to design. Autism comes in different forms and intensities and it is difficult or foolish to consider designing for one type of autism and to assume a certain set of behaviors and reactions from autistic children and individuals.
Therefore, this children complex is a space for children to meet, explore, learn, and develop. The complex also hopes to keep growing and to have children from different schools and backgrounds to meet during their break time at school so that children are living and learning from people that do not look like them or their community. This will result in compassionate, well-rounded individuals.
The children center complex is divided into several parts each designated for one major activity or group with the main reception core as the common space.
The program is the following : Offices, Escape spaces , Therapy rooms, Autism dance studio, classroom, Reception, Service & circulation cor, Indoor digital play area, Workshop (3-6), Common room Workshop (8-12).
Prague, Czech Republic
2019
Architecture, Interior design, landscape
Children Take Over the City
Praha 07 is rich in cutlural and sports facilities for those who live in it. The facilities for children vary from educational facilities such as schools and nurseries, sports facilities such as sports halls and training places, and art schools and academies. The younger children in schools are often taken on tours or rides on the tram and public transportation to get them used to using them as they grow older and gain more independence. However, there is no place that combines all of these rich activities in one place and where children can interact with other children from different schools and backgrounds or outside of their circle.
The diagramatic masterplan hopes to achieve common and fluid spaces for children to meet and use during all seasons and to especially utilise during their school break time to meet either with students from different schools, learn from the city and people wokring and servicing the city, or to simply meet their parents.
The masses are spread out across the city to accommodate the different needs of children. The masses in the middle mostly cater for children wanting to interact with adults at work and to meet their parents during their lunch time.
image 1 : Diagrammatic masterplan, image 2 : public transportation routes , image 3 : existing facilities.
Process
The project is a multi-functional project with sections of different needs and user requirements. The mass is split into five different sections with the reception as a core. This also aims to present the complex as a growing tree.
The masses then have different height elevations going from low to high so as to equally receive the south sun.
A view of the children complex from the outdoor play area which is also a connection to the public park.
Safe Doesn't Have to Be Boring
The complex offers autistic children with “escape” spaces on every floor. These spaces vary in qualities and sizes to cater for the maximum amount of preferences of these children when they do not feel at ease. The spaces also incorporate nature and playful elements so that these spaces are not so clinical looking and not so different from the rest of their surroundings.
It helps autistic children to know where they are and what is coming next, thus, clear way-finding can help them navigate easily.
A place for everyone
The complex is divided into seven major section with the reception section as the core, the different sections have a buffer zone or a common to allow children of different ages and abilities to interact and learn from one another.
The children also have the opportunity to move around the space with scooters and bike to encourage physical activity. They can also access the children complex through the public park as well as the tram station.
Gallery
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