Child Centered Sustainability p

Child Centered Sustainability in Buenavista, Madrid Circular economy applied to Public Spaces

by De La Cruz Sophia Joy

playful pathways

toybox

play valley

NGO

take back the streets

non profi t organization

members of the community choose to be involved in the NPO’s efforts after the pilot project is a success

(brings people together in public spaces. A connection to these spaces motivates the public to advocate for their own community)

community bonds

Buenavista, a neighborhood in Carabanchel Madrid, is full of opportunities for sustainable development. Exploring the surrounding area I discovered six schools, two daycares, and numerous parks. This indicates a high population of children in the surrounding areas leading me to the question, how

do sustainable cities act to nurture and educate the next generation of citizens?

Architect and researcher Natalia Kysiak explores this notion in her report, Designing Child-Friendly High Density Neighbourhoods. It is a collection of methods being used world-wide such as an intergenerational playground in Singapore and a car free neighborhood in Belgium. While most of the cases could only be integrated if thought of during the initial city plans, some proved suitable for this area and demographic.

In search of further support, design collective Assemble provided documented research into the benefi ts of free play and the engagement of young people in their environment. Their videos from The Voice of Children , showcase the infl uence of the environment over the way children behave. Spaces with movable and adaptable pieces allowed creativity and problem solving to fl ourish while also deepening the children’s connection to the natural world. These traits are important in the development of young minds and are essential in shaping the next generation. (committee dedicated to tackling necessary policy change in support of sustainable infrastructures)

( “Playful pathways” : using alleys as an opportunity for interaction and play for children. “Take back the streets”: a monthly event where vendors and artists garner support from the community)

active public spaces

(“Toy box”: a toy sharing program for families in the community. “Play Valley”: a new design for the local playground providing opportunity to engage with nature)

Sustainability always looks ahead and if we are looking to build a circular economy, the involvement and education of children is vital. Of course when we speak of children we are also invoking the family, the school, the rest of the community because as the proverb says, “it takes a village”.

The fi rst and most necessary piece of this proposal is the assembly of a neighborhood committee or NPO dedicated to the management of projects and policy changes. The presence of a dedicated management, whether it be an NPO, co-op or group of dedicated parents, was necessary to the creation of thriving networks in places like Tokyo, Vancouver, and Antwerp. This group would be tasked with managing existing projects, proposing new projects, and fi ghting for necessary policy updates. Neighborhood and state policy is often what halts a good idea in its tracks. Having a group of citizens/concerned parents informed about these policies could be the key to unlocking the future of Buenavista.

The community spaces that this group would be overseeing will begin with four different areas. One being a communal toy box ideally placed near a park or other open space(indicated by blue boxes). The communal toy box is something that was implemented in the City of Rotterdam to increase numbers at the local parks. Toys are stored in a shipping container and

overseen by parents/grandparents in the community. Any child can qualify for a membership at this facility in order to gain access to the toys and become a part of the share economy. The system also instills a sense of responsibility by implementing a reward system where children get stamps for helping upkeep the surrounding areas in the park. These stamps are the currency that they can use to rent out the toys in the box.

Another way to improve the area would be to convert the existing conventional playgrounds with more engaging and nature inspired ones(indicated in pink). The colorful plastic parks in existence do little to challenge the children and allow little room for interaction. They also harshly stand out against the trees and grass, taking up valuable space that could allow city kids to interact with the natural world. The play valley in Belgium was able to accomplish this with a few logs and twisted branches.

Play can also be integrated into walkways and alleys to elicit interaction from children (and others) on their way to and from school. The path highlighted in yellow above is already lined with bushes in trees but to install a hammock, a tipi made of branches, and some rocks to climb on would increase the chances of pedestrians stopping to look around and appreciate the environment they are in. This slow thinking and disconnect from daily routine is important to a sustainable mindset.

The last proposal comes from the observation of Buenavista’s crowded street parking(indicated in green). In cities, mobility by car is by far the least sustainable option. In an initiative to take back the streets, citizens in Antwerp, Belgium had the opportunity to shut down their streets to cars in the summer months and set up gardens and communal spaces instead. Not only are they replacing cars with greenery but they also manage to bring the community together and create more space for free play. This is ambitious but even monthly community events such as farmers markets could affect the way families see the purpose of the streets.

The core of these ideas is a strengthening of community bonds and a call for involvement of the citizens in shaping their own environment. The goal would be for tenants to experience these areas and their benefits so that in the future they are more open minded to bigger projects, or better yet, motivated to join the organization and engage in the decision making process of what will come next. The obvious commitment to sustainability, ongoing developments, and strong community spirit are all helpful in attracting new tenants to this area. The value in attracting new tenants is not only financial but also social in that they are what will help power future initiatives.