Kid Fiction: The Portfolio by Sweta Sanker

B OOK

KID FICTION Sweta Solai Sanker RCA ADS4 2021 / 22

B R I E F

11 10 21 ADS4 Party Animals What do these party animals look like, how can we design for and through them? How can we understand them as species in their own right, apart from the constituent parts of a party? And how might approaching design and architecture through this lens reveal something about the nature of human kithship and collectivity? 17 10 21 Party Bags Who is the bag for? What is the occasion at which the bag is given out? Are the contents similar to those you would typically find in a party bag or entirely different? How might these items have changed or evolved as a result of the scenarios suggested by your research? Is the bag physical or virtual? 24 10 21 Fully Qualified How do we shift the power relations of speculation? How can ADS4 create a culture where subaltern voices have visibility and power? 31 10 21 Party Politics The Network Diagram should start to uncover previously unappreciated relationships— who wins, who loses, who exploits whom, who needs what and who gets what from whom, and what are they ‘trading’..? Is your scenario the result of an event or era-defining moment? A speech, a mega event, the construction of a new bit of infrastructure? Are they purely a side kick to the research? Are you hoping they will become a mentor? 14 11 22 Missing Parts Who are the uninvited, forgotten, excluded guests from the party? Who does not have a seat at the so-called table? This might be associated with a particular date that is relevant to your research, e.g. anticipated date that UK landfill sites will be full, anniversary of the discovery of a new technology? Is is a political conference, a formal gathering, a dinner? Is it a fancy dress party, a graduation party, a wedding, a gender reveal party(!), or a new type of party altogether? Perhaps is it an invitation to apply for a position or to take part in an event/game show/ etc? Is it real or virtual? Is there a particular building or space that is relevant to the research? When does the party need to take place? Is it in the near future? The distant future? Or even in the past (a counterfactual history)? What time are carriages and what is the nature of the ‘carriage’? Is there a particular dress code that is necessary to help the invited group of people (and potentially non-people) to communicate with each other? Who is hosting the party? Who wants to convene this collective together? What language(s) is the invitation written in? Is it written, spoken, or another form of communication? How best to ‘speak’ to those people/beings typically excluded? Is it an emailed diary invite? An Instagram? An offering left out over night? Is it an open invitation or strictly invite only? 27 01 22 WiP Cross Crit What if you took the route of abolition rather than inclusion? How can you engage with the wonderfully weird and absurd? 28 04 22 Pin-Up How do you articulate your role as an architect in this? What is the end point? When does the project reach completion? Is it to make the children happy? Is it to end up with the best city? Or the city that best represents their intention? Is the exam the end point? Or is it an arbitrary moment of a much larger process? What if you published a book?

CONTENTS 04 Research question 06 Studio brief 08 Urgency for the project 22 Project brief

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Kid Fiction Research Question Project Proposition 19th of April 2022 Fictional worldbuilding activity at Fox Primary School,Notting Hill LEFT

Kid Fiction questions the existence and the ability to give agency to children through the methods of design, speculation and narration. Through a collaborative approach that involves the ideas of fictional world building and collective gameplay, the project focuses on the ideas of how we can better understand, value and empower children as individuals in their own right, rather than being seen as dependent beings in need of constant guidance and protection. ‘What would our cities look like if they were to be designed by children (of the Global Majority)?’ Through the use of speculation as a medium of engagement, the project challenges the outdated frameworks of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UN CRC) and the architectural discourses within which we readily operate within. The project instead proposes the design of a new methodology that has the opportunity of expanding the agency of an architect beyond that of the RIBA Work Stages of 1 to 7 . Primarily aimed at equipping children with the tools and literacy to understand and shape their worlds around them, the project looks towards nurturing a long term civic engagement between children and their built environment.

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STUDIO BRIEF: PARTY ANIMAL

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ADS4 is a critical design studio, specialising in speculative near-futures and alternative nows. Using design as a critical tool, the studio questions the realms of conventional architecture. It instead proposes to explore worlds in which the design outcomes are extremely different from the ones indicated by conventional means of living. PARTY /ˈpɑːti/ Referencing a group or collective of people, but also founded in the word ‘parts’ – elements, components, fragments ANIMALS /ˈanɪm(ə)l/ From ‘anima’, the root of the word animation To make something animate Together, the two words conjure a third meaning, which suggests a type of human behaviour.

This year, ADS4 is working under the title PARTY ANIMALS which seek to better understand the logic and political potential of parties by documenting and studying the behaviour of various forms of human (and nonhuman) collectives. Through this brief, the studio looks to address how we can shift the power relations of speculation from the powerful few to enable a form of decolonisation and democratisation within the realms of the proposed design practice. Can this further help create a culture where subaltern voices have visibility and power?

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URGENCY FOR THE PROJECT

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IN 1989, under the ‘United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UN CRC)’ virtually every country in the world agreed that children have rights to a clean environment to live in, clean air to breathe, water to drink and food to eat - irrespective of their nationality and citizenship. Children were also assured rights to learn, relax and play.

IN 2021, UNICEF released a report entitled ‘The Climate Change Crisis is a Child Rights Crisis’ “It is creating a water crisis, a health crisis, an education crisis, a protection crisis and a participation crisis. It is threatening children’s very survival. In all these ways, it is infringing on children’s rights – as outlined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.”

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NETWORK DIAGRAM UN CRC policies According to the principles of the UN CRC, irrespective of one's nationality and wealth of citizenship, every individual below the age of 18 is assured the same set of rights, that is to be upheld by adults and political systems all over the world. One of the most substantial acts being Article 3, which states that when any decision is to be made about matters concerning children, they are to be done with ‘the best interests of the child’ in mind.

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REALISATION OF CHILD RIGHTS Fast forward 30 years after the declaration of the UN CRC, and we see, on multiple occasions, how our systems have failed to account for and protect the children that we vowed to put first. Particularly with instances of political conflicts and wars, in which the interests and opinions of children heed no monetary gain.

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“Hong Kong’s young protesters are being pushed to the front line of violence by irresponsible adults” Hong Kong, 2019

“109 Empty prams lined up in Lviv for children killed in war” Ukraine, 2022

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CHILD Q The most recent incident being that of Child Q, a 15-year old black schoolgirl from East London who was strip-searched by police, whilst on her period, after being wrongly accused of carrying cannabis by her school teacher. Initial reports conclude that this incident was triggered mainly by adultification biases that the authorities in charge possessed, in which adults perceive black children as being older than they actually are. The child in question is therefore not treated with the same care and protection that should be afforded to all minors, as in the UN CRC. This incident alone exemplifies the ways in which our systems choose to favour the opinions and conducts of adults, over the needs and rights of children, especially when dealing with people of colour. RIGHT

Protesters demand justice for Child Q Outside a police station in London, March 2022

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CLIMATE CHANGE CRISIS On a more global scale, the climate change crisis continues to expose the ways in which we choose to disregard and discredit the needs of those who have contributed the least to the problem. Based on Article 6 of the 1990 UN CRC, 'every child has a right to survive' and it is the responsibility of the State to ensure that this right is met. In 2021 however, UNICEF introduced a new scale of measure known as ‘The Children’s Climate Risk Index (CCRI)’ in its report entitled ‘The Climate Change Crisis is a Child Rights Crisis’. This index ranks countries based on how vulnerable children are to environmental stresses and extreme weather conditions, such as heatwaves, cyclones, air pollution, flooding and water scarcity. The findings from this report show us that almost every child on earth is exposed to at least one of these climate and environmental hazards. According to the CCRI however, a record-breaking 850 million children, which is approximately one-third of all children on earth, are exposed to four or more of these stresses on an increasingly frequent scale – proving to create incredibly challenging environments for children to live, play and grow up in as intended.

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Based on this report, children in low and middle-income countries, such as the Central African Republic, Chad, Nigeria and Guinea, will continue to bear the heaviest and earliest burdens of these dangerous climate crisis impacts.

Severity key Extremely high High Medium – High Low – Medium Low The climate crisis therefore continues to expose the intersectionality that lies within environmental justice and the rights of children.

FIGURE 5

The Children’s Climate Risk Index (CCRI) August 2021

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Despite children speaking up, and on multiple occasions, being successful in holding politicians and multinational corporations accountable for their environmental acts, the reality of the way in which it is portrayed by media channels is that of frivolity and amusement. In our society, decisions are always made on behalf of children as they are deemed to be too ‘immature’ and playful to be given a seat at any decision-making table Restrictions that equate age with experience allow for almost no exceptions when it comes to youth and child involvement in politics and policymaking, continuously undermining and disrespecting the agency and capacities of youth and children from all over. Our systems therefore hugely contradict what was agreed upon 30 years ago by the UN, where every child was assured their right to have their opinions heard on issues that particularly affect them. The globalisation of the UN CRC principles fail to take into account the specific issues and needs which affect children on a more local scale, especially when dealing with communities and cultures that sit outside the Western realm.

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Children skipping school to protest against the lack of action on climate change Global climate strike, September 2019

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“

Paul Thompson sees it ‘not just as territorial conflict or resistance, but as an outright war with adults. Children, like other social under groups, have long protested against their position by resistance, sometimes open and sometimes hidden, a war with adults which parallels and echoes the wars between the classes and the sexes.' 1 Thompson, Paul. “The War with Adults.” Oral History 3, no. 2 (1975): 29–38. http://www.jstor.org/stable/40178478. 1

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Adults vs Kids The Simpsons Episode 214: Wild Barts Can’t Be Broken

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PROJECT BRIEF

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The future generation’s needs and demands are not radical or extremist; they are entirely necessary, and approaching design questions without challenging our frames of reference will be a completely nuanced attempt at resolving a much greater problem.

Using speculation as a medium of engagement, Kid Fiction as a design project challenges the outdated frameworks of the UN CRC and the architectural discourses within which we readily operate within. The project instead proposes the design of a new methodology that has the opportunity of expanding the agency of an architect beyond that of the defined RIBA Work Stages. The project aims to use architecture as an intermediary body that can help navigate the complex relationships that exists between adults and children. It speculates that the often dismissed and absurd imaginations of children, can actually be used to point us in the direction of alternative social and physical scenarios that we might currently consider as impossible to achieve.

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FIGURE 19

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Ladder of Children’s Participation Roger Hart, 1992

As a point of departure, the project questions Roger Hart’s Ladder of Children's Participation, which categorises the various methods one can use to actively engage children in a meaningful way. Hart's ladder focuses on the idea that the success of a participatory project should be assessed based on who initiated the entire venture and what decision making capability he has over the entire design process. Based on Hart's ladder, a child who is informed of the entire decision making process and told where his ideas will have an impact on has already achieved a higher level of participation than a child who is simply given a task with no explanation. This however is a debatable point of assessment as the informed child can still choose to not participate in the activity as much as the uninformed child. Similarly, an adult-initiated project can be equally as participatory as a child-initiated project given the activity in question and the level of engagement present by the group of children involved. Hart's ladder therefore poses a series of critical questions with regards to how the levels of engagement of child-participatory design can actually be assessed on a more universal scale.

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CHILD PSYCHOLOGICAL STUDIES Foundational to the alternative methodology proposed is Piaget and Vygotsky’s pioneering theories on cognitive development in children. Known as the forefathers of child psychological development, Piaget and Vygotsky came to similar conclusions regarding the fact that children learn about the world around them through their interactions with it - which is more commonly known as constructivism.

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Jean Piaget 1936

Lev Vygotsky 1962

Four discrete stages

Continuous development (no stages)

Cognitive development is limited by stages

Constructivism approach

Young children are schematic

Social forces set the limits of development

Motivation to maintaining cognitive equilibrium Development occurs through assimilation or adaptation

Socially transmitted knowledge (cooperative learning and scaffolding) Zone of proximal development Private speech helps internalise knowledge

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Vygotsky’s theory of social constructivism emphasizes the importance of sociocultural learning; how interactions with adults and more capable peers, can actually help the child learn better through the zone of proximal development. Following Vygotsky, some educators believe that the role of education is to give children experiences that are within their zones of proximal development to encourage and advance their individual learning skills, that would otherwise be unattainable alone.

Ms. Trunchbull Matilda, 1996

James, Allison. “Giving Voice to Children’s Voices: Practices and Problems, Pitfalls and Potentials.” American Anthropologist 109, no. 2 (2007): 261–72. http://www.jstor.org/stable/4496640. 2

Dewey Finn School of Rock, 2003

“Listening to what children say about their everyday lives and experiences can allow us to both theorize and act on their understandings in relation to larger issues of social and political change” 2

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he learner canno t do ngs t i h T

p el

ximal Develo f Pro p o e er can do men n r n a e l wit t Zo the h s h g in

Things the learner can do on her own

Zone of Proximal Development (with help from more experiences peers or adults)

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Adult-

Piaget's and Vygotsky's theory of constructivism resulted in the development of an alternative diagram that challenges Hart’s ladder and represents my take on participatory design, discussing the relationship that exists between participation and proximity. My research argues that when designing engagement activities, we should be focussing on improving overall child-to-adult relationships, rather than just focussing on interaction levels between children or adults alone. Through this approach, both parties stand to gain individual benefits, whilst working towards a more equitable society. Instructors and adults therefore have to adapt to the role of facilitators and not teachers. The primary responsibility of the ‘facilitator’ in this sense will be to create a collaborative problemsolving environment where children become active participants in their own learning, located within their zone of proximal development.

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Theoretical assumption

Adult-adult relationship

Polar question

Mult cho

t-led

tiple oice

Child-led

Feedback / Opinion

Recurrent Engagement Zone of proximal development

Adult-child relationship

Protest

Petition

Outright rejection / acceptance

Conflict and resolution between children

Child-child relationship

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UN x Coco Pops Task: Party Invite Cereal box, 9.67cm x 11.0cm x 8.6cm

This cereal box invitation attempts to change the entire table at which the conversation is being held at – to allow for a series of high chairs and stools to take part in the debate about how we can include and design for subaltern voices.

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@swetects 2021 / 22

B OOK

KID FICTION Sweta Solai Sanker RCA ADS4 2021 / 22

S I T E

Fox Primary School, Notting Hill First Worldbuilding workshop 10th February 2022 Shot on vintage kids camcorder

CONTENTS 04 Global scale: London 06 City scale: Kensington 12 Local scale: Fox Primary School 16 Specific scale: Year 6 classroom

LONDON AS A TESTING GROUND

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Given the premise of the project which is aimed at designing a methodology of engagement that operates on a local scale, a primary school in London was identified and used as a testing ground for the proposal. The school was selected based on its location, student demographic, school values as well as class sizes. After thorough research, Fox Primary School, which is a state school located in the Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, was selected as the appropriate testing site for the proposed methodology. This choice was intentionally made so that the group of children involved would be from a diverse background; in terms of their social, cultural and economical upbringing.

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THIS IS KENSINGTON with statistics by WPI Economics for The Kensington and Chelsea Foundation

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A BOROUGH OF EXTREME INEQUALITIES With a Gini index of almost twice that of the entire United Kingdom, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea has been identified as one of the most economically unequal boroughs in the whole of London. "The borough’s state schools have a significantly higher percentage of students whose main language is not English (49.8%) than London (44.2%) or England as a whole (19.3%). This diversity was highlighted in an interview with the headteacher of a small primary school in the borough, who confirmed having pupils with over 34 different spoken languages." Kensington and Chelsea is also home to an extremely diverse population, with over 48% of residents being born abroad, compared to just 15% for the rest of England. The demographic mix of the borough's public schools would therefore be an excellent test for the employability of this methodology in a diverse setting.

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A detailed breakdown of poverty levels of every ward in the Royal Borough of Kensington in 2020

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A BOROUGH OF EXTREME INEQUALITIES With the rising costs of living and the knock-on impact of unemployment due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many residents in Kensington have struggled to cope with their rising costs of heating, food and electricity. Data collected by the Trussell Trust reveals that the number of residents receiving food parcels in Kensington from their respective foodbanks have doubled since the start of the pandemic - hinting at a continuously growing economic disparity between the wealthy and the poor of Kensington.

One in four children in Kensington and Chelsea (24.4%) lived in poverty in 2019/20.

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“

At first glance, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea is a picture of wealth and prosperity, however, there are significant variations in outcomes between different communities in the borough. Economic headlines tend to mask significant variations in outcomes, both between different groups in and different parts of the borough.

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SPECIFIC SITE: LOCAL SCALE Chosen school Notting Hill's Fox Primary School was selected as the testing site for this methodology due to its overall suitability in terms of its demographics, scale as well as school values.

Fox Primary School was initially established as a charity school in 1842 by Hon. Caroline Fox 'for the education of children of the labouring, manufacturing and other poorer classes' of Kensington.

With twice the national average of pupils from an ethnic minority background, the demographics of students at Fox's Primary School is extremely diverse - coming from various social and economic backgrounds. This will therefore provide an excellent opportunity for the engagement activity to draw upon multiple sources of independent experiences. The schools values of inclusion, collaboration and curiosity also thoroughly align with the premise of Kid Fiction as a project and will therefore act as the perfect testing ground for the engagement activity to take place.

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Point of contact Hannah Drake, Year 6D Teacher Tom Willis, Year 6W Teacher Elena Tweedie, Year 6 Lead Teacher

Location: Kensington Place Notting Hill W8 7PP London Borough: Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea

FOX PRIMARY SCHOOL

State school

391 students

Age range: 4 - 11 years

Percentage English is not First Language

71.3%

Gender ratio: 46.8% boys 53.2% girls

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Site location Kensington Key Fox Primary School Underground station Commercial streets Kensington Palace Public parks ADS4 | 15

SPECIFIC SITE: COMMUNITY SCALE Chosen class In line with the research conducted in the first term on independent child cognitive developments and social constructivism, the appropriate age range identified for this methodology is between 10 and 12 years of age.

SUPPLEMENTARY ROOM (Occasionally used by staff) (Possible interview room)

Fox's Year 6 pupils, who were aged between 10 and 11 were therefore selected for the purpose of this study. Before the activity took place, an analysis of their existing classroom was done so that the space could be curated for the entire activity.

FOX YEAR 6 HOMEROOM CLASS

DEMOGRAPHICS Number of pupils in class consulted Age range Ratio of girls: boys Duration of each workshop

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20 pupils 10 - 11 years 14 : 6 50 minutes (Length of one class period)

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SPECIFIC SITE: 6W Classroom Fox Primary School Kensington Place W8 7PP LONDON

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@swetects 2021 / 22

B OOK

KID FICTION Sweta Solai Sanker RCA ADS4 2021 / 22

3 D E S I G N

TRUST

Stage 1 Fictional worldbuilding Designer establishes a relationship with children through the use of fiction and worldbuilding

Fox Primary School 20 students

Stage 2

Designer unpacks and analyses the issues highlighted by the children from the first activity Designer goes to the depth of bringing these worlds to life as a trust building step Data collected critiques current political and design frameworks that we readily accept as the social norm

KID FICTION

Designer as the facilitator

STAGE 3 GAME Designer creates a problem solving environment for children to navigate through using a card game

Stage 4 ABOLISH IT!

Flow chart illustrating the role of the designer in each stage of the proposed design methodology Kid Fiction + Abolish it

Designer unveils realised absurd worlds to the children A form of trust and respect is formed between the facilitator and the child

CONTENTS 04 An iterative design process 06 Stage 1: Fictional worldbuilding 18 Stage 2: Absurd worlds 30 Stage 3: Trust 42 Stage 4: Game play

AN ITERATIVE DESIGN PROCESS This book follows a chronological order of events

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The process of developing Kid Fiction as a design brief and proposal has been anything but linear. It's been a constant process of iterative design, that has been crucially informed by moments of theoretical analysis, self-reflectance as well as general responses and interactions from the children themselves. The proposed methodology, which consists of 4 distinct stages, stands as a collective result of a series of critical decisions which have been made at very particular points of the proposal's timeline. The design of this methodology is therefore best understood through a chronological process of identifying the key milestones of decisions which were made at every stage. This book has therefore been designed to follow a chronological flow of the development process.

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STAGE 1 : FICTIONAL WORLDBUILDING

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The first stage involves the idea of introducing the general concept of fictional worldbuilding to the children involved. FICTION /ˈfɪkʃ(ə)n// Literature in the form of prose, especially novels, that describes imaginary events and people WORLDBUILDING /ˈwɜːldˌbɪldɪŋ/ The process of constructing a world, originally an imaginary one, sometimes associated with a fictional universe Together, the two words refer to the process by which an author or a designer creates a fictional world, inventing its history, geography, politics, and economy, as well as any religions or power structures

In this stage, the designer aims to establish a relationship between the group of children involved and the role of the designer that sits as an intermediary facilitator beyond the common practice of an adult. The designer also aims to acquire a set of research data which explicitly conveys the real-life experiences and struggles that the children go through on a local scale through the means of the activity.

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OVERVIEW Stage 1 10 02 2022 Fictional Worldbuilding Workshop Since this stage forms the first point of interaction between the children and the designer, the deliverables and language used have to be carefully curated to speak to, yet also respect the children at a local scale. For example, the introductory presentation used for Fox Primary School used a series of current animated fictional movies and games that the children were familiar with such as Minecraft, Animal Crossing, Encanto, Black Panther and Luca to introduce the ideas of fictional worldbuilding. In terms of the physical environment of the activity, it should be carried out in a setting that is extremely familiar to the group of children in question, such as the children's homeroom class. This is primarily done to create a relaxed and trusted environment in which the children would feel comfortable and safe yet equally engaged and excited.

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Once the children have been briefed about the intentions of the workshop and the premise of worldbuilding, the next step involves the provision of 2 worksheets for each child; which first, allows them to dictate a set of rules that would govern their individual spaces, followed by a drawing sheet for them to illustrate their ideas. The questions on the worksheets should be specifically tailored to allow the child to speculate on a macro, global scale, rather than being confined to the existing parameters of their political systems and cities. This is done to emphasise the importance of harnessing the children's creative and absurd ways of thinking which are not burdened by real world parameters that we normally abide by.

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Sample of fictional examples presented to Fox Primary School

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DESIGN PROCESS Stage 1 27 01 2022 Work-in-Progress Cross Crits The cross crits of the 2022 Work-inProgress show became a defining moment for the entire project. With feedback from Ozayr Saloojee, Marina Otero, Emanuel Admassu, Laleh Khalili and John O'Mara, the project was identified as one which needed a certain level of radicalism and anarchism as a means of addressing the severity of the issues being highlighted in the brief. This push for a more radical approach could then be used to challenge the entire framework of the outdated principles of the UN CRC - which generalise the globalisation of Western concepts of childhood. The critics therefore posed the question of what the proposal may look like if it took the route of abolition rather than inclusion when trying to address the disparities that arose from the articles of the UN CRC and that of the forms of architectural practice. Several comments were also made about the beauty in the absurdity and wildness of children’s ideas which are often suppressed and forgotten beyond a certain age. The project was encouraged to devise a series of wonderfully absurd landscapes that could operate in parallel to our existing cities but also have the capability to destabilise and offer unique critiques against our failing political and social systems. 12 | 2022

Power of the absurd Series of responses from Year 6 pupils of Fox Primary School ADS4 | 13

DESIGN PROCESS Stage 1 MEDIUM TEST NARRATIVE Political theorist, Hannah Arendt argues that storytelling transforms private meaning to public meaning. "Regardless of the gender of the narrator and what story they are sharing, the performance of the narrative and the audience listening to it is where the power lies." Primarily aimed at equipping children with the tools and literacy to understand and shape their worlds around them, Kid Fiction as a methodology uses the realms of storytelling and narration to nurture a long term civic engagement between children and their built environment.

Given the premise of the design brief that looks beyond the Western orientation of narration, a coherent medium that could easily be adapted by any community in the world, regardless of its scale, location, and cultural beliefs was essential. Several tests were therefore conducted to determine the most accessible and effective method of communication. The tests included forms of drawing, 3D modelling, animation and verbal attempts. Ranking highest in terms of its convenience and customisability, 2-dimensional drawings were selected as the medium of choice for the entire methodology.

2D hand drawing Convenience Customisability Physical modelling Convenience Customisability 3D computer modelling Convenience Customisability Verbal Convenience Customisability TOP

Summary of medium tests

LEFT

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Physical modelling test

3D modelling test 3D modelling requires a huge amount of equipment, technology and skill to execute

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31 01 2022 Studio Exchange with ADS7 In a discussion with the ADS7 tutors during the Studio Exchange week in Term 2, it was highlighted that the idea of learning from children is an extremely powerful aspect of the project and it should be highlighted to a whole new extent through the development of this methodology. An interesting discussion about the intergenerational capability of the proposed game took place and the tutors posed a series of questions which interrogated how the methodology could be used to help adults better understand the thought process behind how children construct rules and world build. Concurrently, questions about how the project could translate the power of absurdity into alternate modes of reality were also asked. The ADS7 tutor's prompt to think about how children set rules and restrictions based on their own individual understandings of their environments and worlds led to the design of the 2 final worksheets which were used in the first workshop. These worksheets were incredibly successful in providing the children with a medium to physically illustrate their ideas and experiences through the use of drawings and fiction. Initial draft of worksheets

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Final worksheets used for Fox Primary School

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STAGE 2 : ABSURD WORLDS

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The second stage allows the designer to unpack and analyse the various issues that are being raised by the children involved. Here, the designer has to individually analyse and meticulously illustrate each and every one of the children’s ideas. In this stage, it is extremely important to pay close attention to each and every element that is present, in both, the set of rules and the drawings submitted as these encounters highlight real-life conditions that the children are particularly affected by. The act of personally drawing each and every world should really allow the designer to think critically and pro-actively about the context of the existing political and legislative agencies we abide by.

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DESIGN PROCESS Stage 2 TRANSLATING THE ABSURD THE ROLE OF THE ARCHITECT After the first engagement activity took place, multiple discussions about the level of translation required and the appropriate style of drawing to be used was brought up in weekly tutorials. It was evident that this decision would impact and define the rest of the project and it was not be taken lightly.

Before determining the level of translation required however, it was imperative that the role of the designer needed a degree of clarification; with regards to what the designer wanted to retrieve from this overall process of illustrating these worlds, as well as how this would empower and value the work of the children without losing crucial bits of information in translation. The solution to which was to use the role of the designer as a 'commissioned architect' who literally interprets the environments created by the children in question. Through this methodology, the architect gains an insight into understanding the greater issues which affect children on a more local scale, whilst the children feel valued and spoken to when seeing their fictional ideas become plausible scenarios.

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It pretty much has everything I've ever really wanted in it... and I really like it

TOP

Excerpts stills from the Kid Fiction documentary

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DESIGN PROCESS Stage 2 ILLUSTRATIVE DRAWING STYLE THE RULES When determining the appropriate drawing style to be used, a series of tests were conducted as an attempt to extrapolate a series of rules that would dictate the way the designer illustrates all of the worlds.

Most children instinctively drew their worlds in either an isometric or an elevation view

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ILLUSTRATING RULES FOR ABSURD WORLDS 1 - Isometric drawing style The illustrations should be drawn in an isometric perspective to constitute the fact that these are entire worlds which have been designed on a transcendent scale, where the child is in ultimate power 2 - Scale The scale of the subjects in the illustrations should follow the same degree of definition that the child has exhibited in their drawings as this reflects the individual issues which they prioritise 3 - Colours The colours depicted in the illustrations should follow the same colours as the ones prescribed in each child's drawings 4 - Details The illustrations should be extremely detailed - taking inspiration from elements present in both the worksheets, but also from the designer's independent form of thinking

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ABSURD WORLD 01 SAMPLE OF RESPONSE Issues highlighted by Daniela: Ageism Economic inequality Mental health issues

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ABSURD WORLD 01 SAMPLE OF ILLUSTRATED WORLD Daffidle World Daniela's world depicts a fictional land that is split into two distinctive halves of adults and children - where every colour represents a different emotion. Rainbow = Really Happy Blue = Happy / Okay Green = Sad / Angry Illustration explained 1

Children live "very happily" in pink and purple striped buildings

Anger punching bags for the adults to release their pent up frustrations

An annoyance hamster wheel energy generator that is powered by the rude words that are released from the adults' apartment block

A soundproof scream zone for adults

Adults live "annoyingly" in blue and green striped buildings

Rude words of anger are released through air vents and chimneys on the roof of the adults' building

Free currency so that all occupants can afford everything

A dementor rainbow track

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7 8

6 4

3 5

2 The Daffidle World by Daniela

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STAGE 3 : TRUST

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Stage 3 involves the revelation of the illustrated worlds to the children. This is done before any further engagement can take place to evidence the level of respect that the designer has shown towards the children and their ideas. This stage is crucial in establishing a form of trust between the designer and the child for the next stage of activities.

ADS4 | 31

OVERVIEW Stage 3 A CURATED EXPERIENCE When revealing the illustrated absurd worlds to the children, it is crucial that the environment within which the experience takes place is curated for maximum levels of enjoyment.

Before revealing the absurd worlds to the children, performative elements, such as a table drumroll, should be used to curate an atmosphere of excitement and anticipation. This will also help alleviate any individual anxiety or stress that may be present when the children see their worksheets and worlds appear on the large screen, in front of their peers. During this stage, the level of enthusiasm and joy should be through the roof as the children see their fictional worlds come to life. Once each world is revealed, a copy of the illustrated world should then be given to the respective child as a token of exchange. Once all the worlds are revealed, the children should be allowed to move around and converse with one another about their worlds and how they have been realised.

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Children's reaction to the illustrated absurd worlds

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DESIGN PROCESS Stage 3 METHOD OF DOCUMENTATION If filming consent is attainable, this stage of the activity should be documented for the methodology's records. With the case study of Fox Primary School, consent was given to film the classes and the activities being conducted but not all children had consent to have their faces filmed. A decision was therefore made to not film any of the children's faces to prevent any form of discrimination. The filming instead focused on the individual movements and sound reactions that the children exhibited.

In terms of the equipment needed, the activity should have two cameras filming at all times - one which is positioned on a tripod at the back of the class, which focusses on the expressions and movements of the children. Whilst the other is a hand-held camera that moves around and focusses on different children's reactions throughout the activity.

CAMERA 2 on tripod in private room for individual interviews with children

CAMERA 1 on tripod to film reactions and movements of children from back of the room

34 | 2022

ADS4 | 35

DESIGN PROCESS Stage 3 SELF-REFLECTION INTERVIEWS Once the worlds have been revealed, individual interviews with each child and their worlds should be conducted in a quiet room to understand how they feel about it and if the activity has helped them in any way. This interview space should be located in close proximity to the homeroom class but should equally have a level of privacy to make the child feel safe and protected. Children can choose to do the interview individually or in groups depending on whichever they feel most comfortable with.

Sample interview questions: 1 - Can you please tell us about your world? 2 - Do you think the illustration looks like the world you imagined? 3 - How do you like your world vs the illustrated world? 4 - Would you change anything about it? 5 - How would you rate the illustration out of 10? 6 - How did you find the activity?

The feedback received from the interviews are essential for the designer to understand how the children feel seeing their ideas come to life. These self-reflective interviews are equally valuable for the child as they are for the designer as it stands as a record of documentation which allows the children to individually express their satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the illustrated worlds that were presented to them; some of which reflect extreme happiness and joy, whilst others, a slight disappointment in their original descriptions of their then ideal worlds.

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Stills from individual interviews with children from Fox Primary School

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DESIGN PROCESS Stage 3

Adult-

25 03 2022 End of Term 2 Crit The review at the end of Term 2 was a defining moment in the development of Kid Fiction as a methodology. In this review, the critics emphasised the criticality of the next stage of engagement. They raised questions about how the role of the architect could be used to facilitate the design of a space in which children and adults would feel equally comfortable to have serious conversations in. The critics also pointed out the relevance of extraction and transposition when dealing with the list of issues and social disparities highlighted by the children's responses in the first activity. This suggests that the next engagement activity should be conducted in groups - to help facilitate a space for negotiation and communication.

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Theoretical assumption

Adult-adult relationship

Polar question

Mult cho

t-led

tiple oice

Child-led

Feedback / Opinion

Recurrent Engagement Zone of proximal development

Adult-child relationship

Protest

Petition

Outright rejection / acceptance

Conflict and resolution between children

Child-child relationship

ADS4 | 39

DESIGN PROCESS Stage 3 COLLECTIVE ACTIVITY Card Games At the end of Term 2, the idea of using a card game as a method of engagement solidified. The act of using game play as a substrate for conversation had the potential to allow children to communicate and problem solve in a collective setting. The next few weeks were then spent drafting numerous card game mechanisms that could potentially; 1 - allow children to use their individual ideas of world building to construct new political and social environments 2 - allow children to collectively negotiate and converse amongst themselves to come up with unique solutions to specified problems After a series of trial and errors, a card game, known as Abolish it! was developed for Stage 4 of the methodology. The premise of the card game revolves around the idea of abolishing current systems of our society that we find problematic and instead, replacing it with wildly absurd yet completely believable scenarios.

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Initial drafts of proposed card game

Multiple failed attempts at using the absurd worlds to create a tile-based card game

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STAGE 4 : GAME PLAY

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Stage 4 involves a process of extraction and specification when it comes to defining the design brief. In this stage, the designer introduces their intended design brief through the extraction of a number of elements and world building rules that the children have repeatedly identified in the first stage. Using the basis of how designs are generally built on systems, together with an input of local architectural knowledge, the next step is the development of a card game that allows the children to collaboratively construct solutions to the specified design brief; which, in this case, is the city design of London. This stage emphasises the importance of collective parties coming together to identify issues that they cohesively recognise as being problematic. It provides a mechanism of engagement that immerses the children in a collective form of interaction to find solutions to the problems they had previously identified.

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OVERVIEW Stage 4 ABOLISH IT! Game play At this stage, the designer introduces the design brief as a collection of scenarios which pose a series of problems for the children to find solutions to. These scenarios are based on previously identified issues which multiple children identified as being problematic in the first engagement activity.

To play the game, the children should be organised into equal groups, depending on the number of scenarios involved, and each group should be given the same deck of cards which have been extracted from the first activity. Each group should also be given a large drawing sheet to illustrate their ideas.

The development of a card game from the extensive range of data collected in the first activity is seen as a collective tool of engagement that is able to create a problem solving environment where children are able to hold conversations and negotiations to find innovative solutions to the identified scenarios.

The basis of the card game consists of a series of blue, yellow, pink and green cards. The blue cards represent the systems within which cities and worlds are built upon, whilst the yellow cards represent the various elements identified by the children involved. The pink cards represent blank wild cards and the green cards represent specific scenarios that were particularly tailored to the group of children involved. For example, this class in London identified 4 issues of independent mobility, biodiversity extinction, ageism and economic inequality as being problematic in their city during their first engagement activity. The card game therefore works around the idea of using the yellow element cards to replace the blue system cards to come up with new, innovative solutions to the problems identified in the green scenario cards.

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Instruction manual for 'Abolish it' card game ADS4 | 45

Sample extraction process used to create the card game

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FOX 2022

SUPERPOWER

FOX 2022

ANIMALS

ROLLER COASTER

FOX 2022

SNOW

RAIN LAW

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48 | 2022

FOX 2022

FOX 2022 FOX 2022

FOX 2022

BUILDINGS

MACHINE

FOX 2022

Abolish it! consists of a deck of 50 cards in total

INSECTS

TECHNOLOGY

WATER

RELIGION

PLANTS

ROLLER COASTER FOX 2022

FOX 2022

WEAPONS

LAVA

RAIN

FIRE

GUMMY BEAR FOX 2022

FOX 2022

FOX 2022 FOX 2022

AIR

RAINBOW

INTERNET

FRUITS & VEG

FOX 2022

SNOW

TOOLS

DIAMOND

STARS FOX 2022

CANDY CANE

FOX 2022

DISCO BALL FOX 2022

WOOD

ELECTRICITY

PIPES

MONEY

SUPERPOWER ROBOTS

SUPERPOWER AI

LAW FOX 2022

FOX 2022

PETS

FOX 2022

ANIMALS FOX 2022

FOX 2022

VIDEO GAMES

FOX 2022

DRONE

FOX 2022

TRANSPORT FOX 2022

HUMANS

FOX 2022

GOLD FOX 2022

FOX 2022

CANDY

FOX 2022

CLOUDS CHOCOLATE JUNK FOOD

SLIDE GUNS

BOATS

LICENSE

MUSIC

SUPERPOWER

ADS4 | 49

FOX 2022

Children playing Abolish it! at Fox Primary School

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Children playing Abolish it! at Fox Primary School

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OVERVIEW Stage 4 FINAL ILLUSTRATIONS Challenging frameworks The four final images, which form the cumulative result of the entire engagement activity, imagine alternative worlds of reality that have the potential of mitigating the series of problems identified by the children of Fox Primary School in Kensington. Through these images, the project offers significant critiques surrounding the frameworks of our political and design systems that we readily accept as the social norm. Through the use of fiction, the final illustrations offer a unique perspective into understanding the issues and needs which affect children on a more local scale, through the use of architecture and spatial design. These illustrations therefore act as a substrate that provides the designer with a means of conversation to communicate with children on a more equitable and local scale.

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The next generation’s needs and demands are not radical or extremist; they are extremely necessary, and without challenging the frameworks of reference which we readily accept, such as the generalisation of the principles of the UN CRC, we are setting ourselves up to make nuance changes for a much greater problem.

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@swetects 2021 / 22

B OOK

KID FICTION Sweta Solai Sanker RCA ADS4 2021 / 22

D R A W I N G

CONTENTS 04 Archive explained 06 Absurd worlds 88 Abolish it 94 Alternative realities

ARCHIVE OF DRAWINGS EXPLAINED This book contains a detailed analysis of all of the illustrations completed for 'Kid Fiction'

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In developing Kid Fiction as a new methodology of engagement, illustrations were particularly selected as the medium of choice due to its unique capacity of forming narratives that are able to transcend intergenerational barriers of digital literacy and exclusivity.

“

Storytelling forges connections among people, and between people and ideas. Good stories do more than create a sense of connection. They build familiarity and trust, and allow the listener to enter the story where they are, making them more open to learning. Good stories can contain multiple meanings so they’re surprisingly economical in conveying complex ideas in graspable ways. And stories are more engaging than a dry recitation of data points or a discussion of abstract ideas. Vanessa Boris, Harvard Business Publishing Corporate Learning

Hand drawn illustrations offer an intriguing development of continuity from the worldbuilding workshop that took place in Stage 1; where the children of Fox Primary School were required to use 2-dimensional drawings to depict their individual ideal worlds. The illustrations therefore act as a medium of translation that builds upon the existing frameworks provided by the children's drawings, whilst still allowing the designer to independently analyse and unpack the various issues being raised by the children involved.

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01 ABSURD WORLDS

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The Daffidle World Daniela's response Issues highlighted: Ageism Economic inequality Mental health

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Elements identified: Children Money Rainbow

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01 The Daffidle World Explained A fictional land segregated into two distinctive halves for adults and children, Daniela's Daffidle World uses the notions of colour to represent different forms of emotion. Rainbow = Really Happy Blue = Happy / Ok Green = Sad / Angry Illustration explained 1

Children live "very happily" in pink and purple striped buildings

Anger punching bags for the adults to release their pent up frustrations

An annoyance hamster wheel energy generator that is powered by the rude words that are released from the adults' apartment block

A soundproof scream zone for adults

Adults live "annoyingly" in blue and green striped buildings

Rude words of anger are released through air vents and chimneys on the roof of the adults' building

Free currency so that all occupants can afford everything

A dementor rainbow track

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7 8

6 4

3 5

2 The Daffidle World by Daniela

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Sea of Answers Salina's response Issues highlighted: Freedom of speech Governance / law Punishment

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Elements identified: Water Buildings Law

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02 Sea of Answers Explained Set on an abandoned island fenced in by a row of guards, Salina's Sea of Answers depicts a fictional land where questions are the arch nemesis of the world. Decked out with 'groovy guard caps' and 'big bellies', the guards will not hesitate to throw anyone into the water if they start asking questions about the other islands or the sea. Illustration explained 1

The pools of water in this fictional land are out of bounds for every resident

The guards have an authoritative power to throw any and everyone into the waters if they start asking questions about the other islands or the water surrounding them

The Sea of Answers is surrounded by numerous abandoned islands

The buildings are all personally designed by the creator of the Sea of Answers, Salina

No one is allowed to talk to the guards or they risk being thrown into the water

The guards all have 'groovy guard caps' and 'big bellies' and are on duty 24 / 7

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4 6

3 2

Sea of Answers by Salina

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Chilland (in Cinemas now) Alex's response Issues highlighted: Ageism Violence of wars

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Elements identified: Children Superpower Guns

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03 Chilland (in Cinemas now) Explained In a world where nobody dies, nobody is born and nobody ages, Alex's Chilland is a never-ending arena for paintball wars. Proposed as an alternative to the violent wars that our societies have repeatedly been exposed to, Alex's world chooses to focus on a medium of conflict resolution that merely results in a couple of bruises and paint stains. Illustration explained 1

A never ending arena of platforms for the perfect paintball war

A temporary holding seat for members of the team who have been eliminated from the game and have yet to be assigned a cell in the dead zone

A conveyor belt of primary paint colour pokeballs which can be mixed to form the desired team's colour for battle

Two teams of purple and aqua are currently battling it out in the Chilland arena

Holographic jail cells in the dead zone are designated for each member that has been eliminated

The dead zone which is located below the Chilland arena holds all eliminated members of the war

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6 1 5 2

Chilland (in Cinemas now) by Alex

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Candy Land Queen of Candy's response Issues highlighted: Biodiversity life Energy

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Elements identified: Candy Cloud Animals Rainbow Electricity

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04 Candy Land Explained Candy Land depicts a fictional world that is ruled by animals. The elements of the world are constructed using candy, providing an endless amount of food supply for the furry residents of the world. Illustration explained 1

Skittles pathway

Octopi DJs who live in Pink Lolly (The most expensive lollipop high-rise in Candy Land)

Drumstick trees

Gingerbread houses with gumdrop fences surrounding it

Jellybean pool

Sour roll-up pilates mat

Bear park driveway designated for bears to leave their paw boots overnight

A bear gets confused seeing candy gummy bears outside his house

Candy cane chimneys

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4 7 1 5 6 3

Candy Land by Queen of Candy

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PV7 Artemios Foul 222's response Issues highlighted: Economic inequality

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Elements identified: Weapons Drone Guns Lava Gold Water

ADS4 | 25

05 PV7 Explained Set in an extremely volatile climate, Artemious Foul 222's PV7 envisions a game where the players have equal purchasing powers for anything they desire; be it goblets, guns or skins. Everyday, PV7 experiences a different type of element shower, with items ranging from lava and gold, to water and guns.

Illustration explained 1

Hybrid army tanks are designed to adapt to the unpredictable climate

Drones watching over the entire premise to ensure players do not go out of bounds

Special structures designed to be suspended off of clouds

Lava flash flood

Gold bars landscaping

Construction site collapsing due to a lava flash flood

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2 6

PV7 by Artemios Foul 222

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M'encanta Hannah's response Issues highlighted: Adoption / familial structures Nature / climate Biodiversity extinction

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Elements identified: Superpower Stars Plants Fire Air Water

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06 M'encanta Explained Meaning 'I love it' in Catalan, Hannah's world of M'encanta reveals a family of 5 sisters who each control a different element of the world. Rosetta: Earth / Plants Claudia: Sky / Air Coril: Sea / Water Ruby: Fire / Flames Luna: Space / Stars

Illustration explained 1

Fire element

Earth element

Sky element

5 sisters of M'encanta meet to discuss world issues; Rosetta, Claudia, Coril, Ruby and Luna (all styled according to Hannah's drawing)

Space element

Sea element

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1 5 4

M'encanta by Hannah

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Sweetopia Glorious one Great's response Issues highlighted: Independent mobility Ageism Law / governance

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Elements identified: Transport Cloud Children Candy

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07 Sweetopia Explained Known otherwise as 'Pancake Mania', Glorious one Great's Sweetopia depicts a fictional land where children are free to roam and do as they please (particularly when it comes to skipping school!) As a land with no transportation links, Sweetopia depends solely on candy cane bridges for its residents to move around. Beware though, lick a candy cane and you may be stuck for life! Illustration explained 1

Children form the entire population of Sweetopia

Sticky syrup surrounds the entire nation for a sweet dip

Candy canes can be manipulated to form bridges that link two pancake islands

Licking a candy cane will keep you stuck there forever

Pancake islands float and move perfectly on the sea of syrup

Cotton candy clouds with gumdrop rains

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1 3 4

6 2 5

Sweetopia by Glorious one Great

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Synthetica Liya's response Issues highlighted: Technological advancement Social isolation No punishments

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Elements identified: Humans Machines Technology

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08 Synthetica Explained Set in a dry and rocky environment, Liya's Synthetica speaks of a world that is full of technology and machines - with no sign of human life. Punishments are non existent in the world of Synthetica as no mistake is intentional. Illustration explained 1

The prime form of transportation systems in Synthetica is a network of technology travelators

The fastest route of distribution in Synthetica is using the delivery travelators that run all through the world

Synthetica rover bots

External spaceships landing in Synthetica to visit friends

The ground of Synthetica is dry, rocky and full of technology

Drilling bots help install new forms of technology in Synthetica

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3 1

Synthetica by Liya

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Magictopia Emmeline's response Issues highlighted: Border control Independent mobility

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Elements identified: Water Slide Superpower Boat Candy

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09 Magictopia Explained Set in a vast sea of movements, Emmeline's Magictopia depicts a land that is constantly evolving depending on the tides of the waves. Every boat represents a different country or territory and hence, this allows them to manipulate and construct their own form of geography based on their desired movements. Illustration explained 1

Outdoor cafe seating with wide umbrellas amidst the vineyards represent the countryside of Veneto

Moving border buoys are used to manipulate the scale and location of international territories as they move around

Detachable bridges can be attached to neighbouring boats for international travel

Outdoor sunken pub located on Kensington's patio

A rainbow slide used to disembark from Veneto

Moving announcement speakers indicate when boats are moving or parking

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2 3

Magictopia by Emmeline

ADS4 | 43

Treetop Land Imogen's response Issues highlighted: Work / life balance Climate change / global warming

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Elements identified: Trees Rainbow Building

ADS4 | 45

10 Treetop Land Explained In a world where its economy functions entirely based on the temperature of the weather of that day, Imogen's world exists amongst the treetops of the forest. Led entirely by independent treehouse designing clubs, Treetop Land is built of a series of treehouses and tight ropes that are suspended above a certain level to help with ventilation and cooling processes during their hot days. Illustration explained 1

Bridges are made from tree barks to connect individual treetop villages

Large thermometer bulbs are used to measure the average daily temperatures of the land - when the temperature passes 20 degrees Celsius, the economy of Treetop Land shuts down so residents can take a break

Houses have a water cooling system in their attics to help cope with the high temperature levels of the climate

Treehouse designing clubs help design and build new treehouses for the residents

Residents made to walk the treetop walk if a rule is broken

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4 2

Treetop Land by Imogen

ADS4 | 47

Infinitus Kian the Omni King's response Issues highlighted: Temporality of life Governance / law Energy generation

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Elements identified: Superpower Transport

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Infinitus Explained Equipped with holographic scenes similar to that of an underworld, Infinitus speaks of a never-ending land in which it is always night time. Residents are born with individual superpowers and are not allowed to break any of the rules which have been set. If one breaks a rule, the spirit land, which exists beneath the ground of Infinitus will absorb the resident for the same amount of years that had been alive for. Illustration explained 1

Lightning functions as electricity in Infinitus, providing light and energy

Infinitus consists mainly of a landscape of rocky mountains and potholes

The spirit world draws energy from the residents who have passed on as a means of generating power for their holographic scenes

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3 2

Infinitus by Kian the Omni King

ADS4 | 51

Jungletopia Gaia's response Issues highlighted: Pollution Economic inequality Biodiversity

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Elements identified: Transport Money Trees Law Animals Electricity

ADS4 | 53

12 Jungletopia Explained Set in the tropical climates of the Amazonian rainforest, Gaia's Jungletopia depicts a land that is filled with animals and knowledge. In Jungletopia, everyone is treated as equals and nature is the top priority when it comes to protection. Schools become a vessel for learning information that goes beyond the generic textbooks and instead instil reallife skills that can be used on a day-to-day basis. Illustration explained 1

The residents of Jungletopia all live in 'cute huts' that form clusters of villages within the Amazonian jungle

An endless pool that stems off from the school is used to teach students about life skills such as swimming and fishing

Schools become vessels of knowledge for real-life skills

Bicycles and walking lanes are provided in all major villages of Jungletopia for ease of independent mobility

Jungletopia sits on an endless library of knowledge which can be accessed through the 10-feet high ladders provided

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4 1

3 2

5 Jungletopia by Gaia

ADS4 | 55

The Wheel of Life Maddie's response Issues highlighted: Economic inequality Ageism Work / life balance

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Elements identified: Money Wi-fi Children Slide Adults

ADS4 | 57

13 The Wheel of Life Explained Maddie's The Wheel of Life speaks of a compartmental land that exhibits all 4 seasons of winter, spring, summer and autumn concurrently. Every year, a big waterpark summer party is held in conjunction with The Wheel of Life's birthday and is only accessible for residents. If adults have a desire to enter The Wheel of Life, a specific license is needed as a means of approval. Illustration explained 1

The spring compartment of The Wheel of Life features all types of tulips and greenery

The waterpark summer party has a series of high and low depth pools for children to enjoy - fully equipped with floaties of all shapes and sizes

The winter compartment of The Wheel of Life is located in a designated ice bubble that is set to retain its temperature at -1 degrees Celsius all year round

A money printing machine so that everyone has an equal opportunity at paying off their debts and taxes

The Wheel of Life is exclusive to children - any adult who would like to enter would need a special license of approval

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The Wheel of Life by Maddie

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Dream Eli's response Issues highlighted: Temporality of life Independent mobility Governance / law

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Elements identified: Superpower Buildings

ADS4 | 61

Dream Explained A fictional land segregated into two distinctive halves of life and death, Eli's Dream speaks of a world where the climate and length of day is directly influenced by the elements of life and death. Choosing one side indicates the amount of hours a day one experiences - life has longer days, whilst death has longer nights.

Illustration explained 1

Object transportation vessels that move through the entire world

Teleportation shafts that aid independent mobility movements through the land

Life vs Death battle grounds

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2 3

Dream by Eli

ADS4 | 63

Colours of Joy Sarah's response Issues highlighted: Governance / law Mental health

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Elements identified: Superpower Rainbow Plants

ADS4 | 65

Colours of Joy Explained Sarah's Colours of Joy depicts a relaxed world where residents are able to focus on their own mental health and have fun. With no rules implemented, residents are encouraged to read, draw, relax and have fun as they see fit. Illustration explained 1

Colours of Joy operates within a landscape of flowers, rainbows and petals

The climate is always sunny and confetti like to allow the flowers to grow in the best environment possible

Since Colours of Joy is primarily a vertical land with multiple levels, ladders and steps are provided for ease of mobility

Books are provided all through the land to allow the residents to relax and read

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1 2

Colours of Joy by Sarah

ADS4 | 67

Candyland Lyla's response Issues highlighted: Work / life balance Temporality of life

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Elements identified: Candy Building Rain

ADS4 | 69

Candyland Explained Set in a climate warmed by a yellow macaroon and cooled by a smarties shower, Lyla's Candyland describes a world that is filled with sweet treats and sugar. The residents all live in gingerbread houses and travel using sugar bubble pods that float above the chocolate stream. Lined with lollipops as trees and gummy bears as pets, Candyland is a world that is on a constant sugar high! Illustration explained 1

When it rains in Candyland, the cotton candy clouds pour down with smarties and sugar

Lollipops represent edible trees for the residents to eat

Chocolate rivers filled with gummy fish

Gingerbread houses filled with kit kat benches

Sugar bubble pods used as transportation devices

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Candyland by Lyla

ADS4 | 71

Upachan Rahael B-E's response Issues highlighted: Position of privilage Ageism

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Elements identified: Children Buildings Law

ADS4 | 73

Upachan Explained Rahael B-E's Upachan imagines an alternative Notting Hill, complete with coloured blocks as houses and a new design for Fox Primary School. One main blue path connects all the houses in the city and leads to the school, which everyone in the vicinity has to attend. Illustration explained 1

Fox Primary School designed by Rahael B-E

Coloured blocks represent the houses in Upachan

The main pathway that links all the buildings in Upachan

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Upachan by Rahael B-E

ADS4 | 75

The Bulb The emperor that I am not (I am Max)'s response Issues highlighted: Governance / law Immigration Pollution

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Elements identified: Law AI Clouds

ADS4 | 77

18 The Bulb Explained Grounded in a dictatorship of strict rules and AI governance, The Bulb imagines a land in which immigration of any kind is prohibited. Religions and cults are not a thing of the present and rules are enforced by brutal violence. A strict curfew of 1800 hrs is implemented throughout the world and if any resident was to break one of the rules, they are to be brutally shot or killed in some way or the other. Illustration explained 1

Surveillance of the resident's activities are carried out by AI powered drones which are in operation all day long

Food deliveries are controlled and executed by a series of programmed robots and drones

Residents are brutally punished if they disobey or break any of the rules

Large sirens are emitted from the alarm clock when the clock strikes 1800 hours as a method of enforcing curfew

A punishment block and a corpse box are designed for rule defiers

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2 1 4

5 3

The Bulb by The Emperor that I am not (I am Max)

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Nintendo + Chocolate Land Bea's response Issues highlighted: Governance / law Rules

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Elements identified: Video games Chocolate

ADS4 | 81

Nintendo + Chocolate Land Explained Bea's fictional land depicts one that is centred around video games and chocolate. No restrictions are placed on the time constraints of playing video games and residents are free to do as they please. Illustration explained 1

'Everyone is born with brains'

All ranges of chocolate are present

Video games allow the residents to enter their specific worlds through the use of holographic stairs

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Nintendo + Chocolate Land by Bea

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Honey Lotus' response Issues highlighted: Rules

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Elements identified: Law Music Internet Technology

ADS4 | 85

Honey Explained Set in a never ending concert world of music and dance, Lotus' Honey focusses on the importance of using effective methods of communication when speaking to different groups of people . Honey uses sound and music to break intergenerational barriers of communication and interests.

Illustration explained 1

One of the many concert stages that exist in Honey

Every resident has an unlimited amount of access to the internet

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Honey by Lotus

ADS4 | 87

LECTRICITY

TOOLS

88 | 2022

INTERNET

WEAPONS RAINBOW

FIRE LAVA

RAIN ROLLER COASTER

FOX 2022

FRUITS & VEG

FOX 2022

AIR FOX 2022

FOX 2022

DIAMOND

FOX 2022

STARS FOX 2022

FOX 2022

DISCO BALL

FOX 2022

SNOW FOX 2022

FOX 2022

CANDY CANE

FOX 2022

MACHINE FOX 2022

FOX 2022

RELIGION

FOX 2022

WOOD GUMMY BEAR

PLANTS

INSECTS

WATER

02 ABOLISH IT!

FOX 2022

ANIMALS

PETS

FOX 2022

GUNS

SUPERPOWE FOX 2022

BOATS FOX 2022

LICENSE

TECHNOLOG

MUSIC

FOX 2022

LAW

BUILDINGS

FOX 2022

ROBOTS FOX 2022

FOX 2022

MONEY

TRANSPORT

SLIDE

FOX 2022

HUMANS

GOLD

JUNK FOOD

FOX 2022

CANDY

CHOCOLATE

FOX 2022

VIDEO GAMES

FOX 2022

DRONE FOX 2022

CLOUDS

PIPES

ADS4 | 89

ANALYSIS OF DATA EXTRACTED FROM ABSURD WORLDS Issues mentioned by children:

Independent mobility Pollution / no cars Rethink context of the school / teach life skills Biodiversity / animals mentioned Everyone is equal / no monarchy Children are equally respected / valued as adults Respect religions Sense of justice / no bribery Forgiveness / no punishment Wasting Flying Economic inequality / equal amount of money Truth / no lies Work - life balance / holidays / no overworking Power / magic Peace / war CHOSEN SCENARIOS:

Independent mobility Biodiversity extinction Income inequality Ageism / respect children

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ADS4 | 91

ANALYSIS OF DATA EXTRACTED FROM ABSURD WORLDS Systems mentioned by children:

Elements mentioned by children:

Transport Building Pipes / Connections Weapon Music Money Electricity Machines Religion Law License Technology Tools

Video Games Pets Guns Drones Water Fire Air Stars Lava Internet Slide Chocolate Brain Animals AI Trees Boats Robot Human Iron Gold Insects Roller coasters Cloud Rain Rainbow Candy Gummy bears Junk Food Fruit / Veg Disco Ball Diamond Wood

92 | 2022

TECHNOLOGY

BUILDINGS

TRANSPORT

MONEY SLIDE GUNS

ELECTRICITY

LAW

PIPES

LICENSE HUMANS

ROBOTS

BOATS

MUSIC

FOX 2022

GOLD

FOX 2022

INSECTS

FOX 2022

MACHINE FOX 2022

FOX 2022

CANDY

FOX 2022

PETS FOX 2022

PLANTS

FOX 2022

ROLLER COASTER

FOX 2022

CLOUDS

FOX 2022

RELIGION FOX 2022

LAVA

FOX 2022

WATER FOX 2022

RAIN GUMMY BEAR

FOX 2022

WEAPONS FRUITS & VEG

FOX 2022

FIRE FOX 2022

AIR

FOX 2022

RAINBOW FOX 2022

STARS

FOX 2022

DIAMOND

FOX 2022

TOOLS FOX 2022

FOX 2022

DISCO BALL

FOX 2022

INTERNET FOX 2022

FOX 2022

SNOW

FOX 2022

CANDY CANE

FOX 2022

WOOD DRONE VIDEO GAMES

ANIMALS CHOCOLATE

JUNK FOOD

SUPERPOWER

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FOX 2022

03 ALTERNATIVE REALITIES 94 | 2022

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ILLUSTRATION LOCATIONS KENSINGTON 00 - Fox Primary School 01 - Hyde Park 02 - Notting Hill Station 03 - High Street Kensington 04 - Natural History Museum

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04 ADS4 | 97

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Economic inequality Developing alternate forms of energy generation to cope with the rising living costs of London

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01 Plant energy used for power generation Explained Location: Hyde Park Set in the backyard of Kensington Palace in Hyde Park, this illustration depicts a reality where plant energy is used for power generation as a means of lowering the costs of living in central London. Based on research conducted in the fields of environmental technology and plant microbial fuel cells, several companies have started using plants as a source of energy generation. The process begins with bacteria and microorganisms breaking down the organic compounds which are found around the roots of plants. This then causes a release of electrons into the soil. These electrons are then gathered with an electrode and used to power small currents of electricity. Illustration explained 1

Squirrel accommodation in the barks of the tree

Method of transportation designed for tree animals to gather resources and food supplies

Bacteria accommodation in the roots of the trees

Potato plant

Electron break room

Bacteria 'breaking down' soil

Carrot plant

Bacteria work room

Plant store room for decaying elements in the soil

10 Naked mole rat 11 Technology plant room for energy harvesting 12 Energy used to power street lamps 13 Kensington palace

100 | 2022

2 14

12 4

5 8 10 6

7 9

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Independent mobility Developing alternate methods of transportation that increase the level of independent mobility available for children and adults

102 | 2022

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02 Slides and protective bubbles used to increase independent mobility Explained Location: Notting Hill Station Located in Notting Hill, this illustration speaks of an alternate form of reality in which the London Underground is re-imagined as a public slide transportation system, known as the London Movingground. Equipped with bubble of all shapes, sizes and filters, this imaginative way of transportation enables residents of all ages - from children to adults - to be able to independently move around London without the fears of safety or pollution. Illustration explained 1

Drones used to filter the air to prevent air pollution

Notting Hill Station serves 3 Movingground lines, namely, the Cheetah, Horse and Turtle line. Each of these lines are made from different types of materials and speed bumps to vary the level of commuter speed

Commuters use protective bubbles as individual vessels to travel within. The bubbles are surrounded by bump paddings to absorb any potential shock.

A free and accessible 'Grab and Slide' bar of junk food is located at every station for the commuters to use

Disco balls act as street lamps which are powered by the theories of light reflection and refraction when the Sun shines through the inner diamond

Traffic lights have bump sequences to absorb the shock from sliding bubbles

Bubblepool - Bubbles can be joined up and customised to suit the commuters' preference

Bubbles are designed to offer maximum levels of safety in terms of pit-pocketing and violence due to their protective outer layer

Buildings tower in and over the slides (as minimal clearance level is needed above the slides) Floating gardens allow the residents of London to enjoy the filtered air and a birds

10 eye view of their absurd city

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8 6 7

4 3

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Biodiversity extinction Developing alternate forms of our built environment that could treat animals and humans as equal residents of our cities

106 | 2022

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03 Building infrastructure for all types of biodiversity life Explained Location: High Street Kensington Taking inspiration from the generic London grocery store, this illustration talks about how different High Street Kensington might look like if animals were seen as equal citizens of our cities. In this alternate reality, animals are left to prowl and live freely in their own habitats with little to no intervention from the human population. The built environment of human beings therefore only exist above a certain level, to avoid impeding on the lives of the animals. Illustration explained 1

A vertical garden designed for rodents to have fresh access to vegetables and food sources

A grocery store built entirely for rodents and amphibians to have easy access to food resources

High Street Kensington

Food shoots which allow humans to deposit food wastes for the rodents to use

Animals live freely in their own habitats on ground level

Composting bin acts as a food source for rodents

Composting shoot which collects organic matter from the rest of society

Flying fruit

Water as a source of currency

10 Cheese shelf

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4 8

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Ageism Developing alternate forms of conflict resolution and conversational mediums to bridge the intergenerational gap

110 | 2022

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04 Using music as a medium of conversation between adults and children Explained Location: Natural History Museum Using music as an intermediary form of negotiation, this illustration proposes a new form of communication when it comes to parliamentary and local debates. Situated in the Natural History Museum, the image explores the possibility of children and adults in coming together to debate about topics that will affect both parties in a neutral and open space - with a DJ as the Speaker of the House. Illustration explained 1

Children and adults have equal seats at the debate table to voice their individual concerns

Snack bar (children's priorities)

Natural History Museum steps

Science Museum

DJ as the Speaker of the House - moderating the debate between all concerning parties

Translator headphones provided for members of the debate that are not familiar with the particular genre in question

Various types of seating

Gold and money (adult's priorities)

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5 2

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@swetects 2021 / 22

B OOK

KID FICTION Sweta Solai Sanker RCA ADS4 2021 / 22

R E F L E C T I O

CONTENTS 04 Establishing a criteria of assessment 14 A manifesto for the future

ESTABLISHING A CRITERIA OF ASSESSMENT

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Given the premise of the project, which situates itself in a position of participatory design, it was imperative for me to establish my own criteria of self-assessment that could speak to the initial project goals of the methodology. Referencing current forms of child participation assessments available, such as those recommended by UNICEF and Save The Children, I try to critically assess the success of Kid Fiction as a methodological design, in hopes of defining my own form of future practice.

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EVALUATING EXISTING FORMS OF ASSESSMENT Child Friendly Cities and Communities by UNICEF UNICEF recommends the use of a Theory of Change chart to evaluate the success and impact of any given participatory project. The Theory of Change chart is a flowchart that explicitly identifies key moments of input and output within a project, as a means of defining the end result of the participatory element. Through this form of assessment, there is a clear end output that is desired, either qualitatively or quantitatively.

Although the chart provides a consequential method of determining if the end result of a form of participatory practice was attained or not, it fails to specify a method of evaluation that equally takes into account the role of the designer and the participant. The chart chooses to focus on the framework which has been established by the project initiator, without a proper method of assessing the participant's view of the project. This echoes the same concerns which were raised about the globalisation of the UN CRC principles against local communities of the Global Majority. Kid Fiction should therefore find an intermediary method of assessment that allows the designer and the child to equally reflect on individual stages of participation as a test to see if the methodology was equally effective for both parties.

06 | 2022

UNICEF's criteria for developing assessment indicators

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EVALUATING EXISTING FORMS OF ASSESSMENT A toolkit for Monitoring and Evaluating Children’s Participation by Save the Children Save the Children is an international organisation that was founded by Jebb Eglantyne in 1920, after the end of World War One. Aimed at improving the lives of children globally, through the provision of education, healthcare and economic opportunities, the organisation runs a resource centre that publishes toolkits and manuals themed around child-participatory practices and local implementation efforts. In the toolkit entitled 'A toolkit for Monitoring and Evaluating Children’s Participation', the organisation recognises 3 dimensions of participation that should be used to assess the methodology in question; which are, scope, quality and outcome of the proposal.

08 | 2022

The assessment therefore emphasises the importance of determining the level at which the children get involved at during the process of establishing the project. The ultimate goal being an entirely 'child-led' participatory project, similar to how Hart chose to define the rungs of his Ladder of Children's Participation. This however is a debatable point of assessment as an adult-initiated project can be equally as participatory as a childinitiated project, depending on the activity in question and the level of engagement present by the group of children involved.

Identifying where Kid Fiction sits on Save the Children's assessment chart Kid Fiction

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EVALUATING EXISTING FORMS OF ASSESSMENT In conversation with existing practitioners // Jane Wong, Architect and spatial practitioner Currently completing RIBA-funded research with DSDHA on engagement practices under the title 'Towards Spatial Justice' As a means of better understanding the architectural and political context within which Kid Fiction exists within, I had a couple of conversations with practicing spatial practitioners and architects who work in similar fields. This really helped shed some light on the current profession of participatory design and how I could establish my project as a form of future practice.

10 | 2022

- Something which I found extremely interesting about the process of developing this methodology was how iterative it was - there was no linearity in the process of making the decisions until you had tested each and every possible option -

- In co-design processes, you always go in cycles - you have an activity with a bunch of people, they give you feedback, you redesign, you go back to them and so on, and that cyclical movement is exactly what you’re explicating here

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Adult-led

Theoretical assumption

Adult-adult relationship

12 | 2022

Polar question

Multiple choice

Child-led

Feedback / Opinion

Recurrent Engagement Zone of proximal development

Adult-child relationship

Protest

Petition

Outright rejection / acceptance

Conflict and resolution between children

Child-child relationship

ESTABLISHING THE CRITERIA OF ASSESSMENT Learning from the existing frameworks of assessment available, it is evident that participatory practices are cyclical forms of engagement that provide each individual participant and designer with a completely different experience and outcome. Kid Fiction as a project questions the existence and the ability to give agency to children through the methods of design, speculation and narration. With this in mind, the form of assessment in which the project should be based on is one in which both, the designer and the child is able to freely express their concerns and ideas within the context of the designed framework that is the methodology. Concluded criteria to assess methodology on Expression Does the methodology allow children to freely and comfortably express their ideas and frustrations in the presence of adults? Acceptance Do the children feel listened to? Do they feel like their ideas and frustrations are being taken seriously by adults? Do the adults / designers feel like they understand more of where the ideas and frustrations of children are coming from? Translation Does the output speak equally to both adults and children? Do both parties understand more about the other?

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14 | 2022

A MANIFESTO FOR THE FUTURE FORM OF FUTURE PRACTICE Through the use of speculation as a medium of engagement, Kid Fiction proposes the design of a new methodology that has the opportunity of expanding the agency of an architect beyond that of the RIBA Work Stages of 1 to 7. It instead looks towards nurturing a long term civic engagement between children and their built environment through the use of fictional worldbuilding and illustrations. The longevity of implementing Kid Fiction as a methodology goes beyond the MA Architecture programme at the RCA. It instead represents my form of future practice in the field of engagement, participatory design and child empowerment. Since the completion of the project at the RCA, I have started to get in contact with multiple organisations around the world that work with children and are interested in trialling Kid Fiction as a methodology. Among these organisations include the Amara Charitable Trust in Kenya that designs and builds schools for children in rural Kenya as well as The Rainbow Clinic in Australia which is a paediatric occupational therapy clinic that works with children on the spectrum.

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@swetects 2021 / 22