What can the urban designer do for children? Normative principles of child–friendly communities for responsive third places

Abstract

This study explores the idea that all public urban places should be planned and designed keeping children in mind. Children from urban places are exposed to different types of urban and social problems. While many Western cities address the needs of children and young people, Egyptian cities overlook children’s needs and behaviours, especially in architectural terms. This study attempts to place Egyptian children at the centre of the urban agenda based on universal laws that secure children. The contribution provides procedures and design principles. A survey in Cairo was conducted through interviews with children and their parents. The results indicate that a child-friendly community can be created for positive social interaction between children, families and the built environment. The result also suggests that a third place will be the most appropriate area where a child-friendly community can be created. Such places are crucial for learning how children interact as they grow up because they are places where informal activities take place. The research concludes that for an improved built environment, it is important to focus on children’s lives in third places and what designers provide or hinder with normative design principles through the process of creating child-friendly cities.

Acknowledgements

The author wishes to express gratitude to the affiliated university for facilitating the data collection.

Notes

1. The district of Golf Territory, Ard El Golf (in Arabic) belongs to Heliopolis (Arabic: Masr el-Gedīdah ‘City of the Sun’) which is located in the northern part of Cairo. The district's name was based on an original master plan at the beginning of the previous century which was supposed to have this land as a golf course but was changed in the contemporary development action plans in Egypt. Today, Heliopolis is still a home to the middle and upper class. International coffee chains and restaurants, cinemas as well as the largest malls are located in Heliopolis. It has been transformed into one of the busiest parts of Cairo. The main observed commercial ventures are furniture department stores and beauty centres. At present, many offices and private academic centres are based in Ard El Golf. The number of schools is low, so children most probably have to travel by car or bus to school and cannot walk.