Simkins, I. & K. Thwaites, 2004, The spatial experience of primary school-age children: the development of an open space design language, in: OPENspace, ‘Open space, people space’, OPENspace, Edinburgh
- Author : Simkins, I. & K. Thwaites
- Year : 2004
- Published in Book : Open space, people space
- Abstract in English : This paper presents the development of a design language to assist environmental design professionals improve quality of life for young children by enhancing the experiential potential of places routinely encountered. The research responds to a reawakening of the importance of encouraging an increase in young people’s use of the outdoor environment, in particular to promote positive behaviour in children through contact with experientially rich outdoor settings (Worpole, 2003). The research focuses on primary school-age children and the spatial experiences encountered on their routine journey from home to school. It pioneers the use of a new method of open space analysis and design (Experiential Landscape Place, or ELP), developed in the course of the research, which translates aspects of human experience into a spatial vocabulary. The process of improvement is participative using methodology including semi-structured interviews, wish poems, cognitive mapping, text and non-participant observation (Sanoff, 2000, Romice and Frey, 2003).
- Comments/Notes : KEYWORDS: children, human experience, spatial vocabulary.