One in seven people worldwide are neurodivergent. They may have a diagnosis of a neurodevelopmental condition such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or autism – or traits that mean their thinking style differs from neurotypical patterns. Yet in Australia, building accessibility requirements do not adequately address the needs of neurodivergent individuals. Research shows neurodivergent people benefit emotionally and socially from exposure to nature. “Biophilic design” incorporates natural elements into the built environment, which can benefit neurodiverse users. What is biophilic des ..read more

Incorporating nature into how cities are designed can help significantly improve the mental health of young people living in urban settings, according to a new study. Researchers in Canada found that ‘forest bathing’, which simply means being calm and quiet ‘amongst the trees’ and observing the surrounding natural world while breathing deeply can be a powerful de-stressing tool for youth. The study, conducted at the University of Waterloo, claims to be the first of its kind to collect on-site, real-time data from adolescents about their emotional responses to urban environments like streets, p ..read more

In the bustling corridors of urban planning and development, a new wave of voices is rising to the forefront – those of young people. As cities worldwide grapple with the complexities of rapid urbanisation, climate change, and social equity, the importance of involving youth in designing the cities of tomorrow has never been more evident. From revitalising public spaces to advocating for sustainable transportation solutions, young urbanists are spearheading initiatives that are reshaping the urban landscape and fostering more inclusive, resilient communities. In recent years, cities across the ..read more

Experts on play and ‘the built environment’ will provide the next round of evidence to a UK government inquiry that is looking at ways to utilise better design processes to improve children’s lives. Tim Gill, a leading advocate of children’s play rights and opportunities, and architect Dinah Bornat, a former design advocate to the Mayor of London will appear at the next session of the Children, Young People and the Built Environment Inquiry. The inquiry, which is being chaired by a group of cross-party MPs on The Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Committee, last month heard arguments from ..read more

A UK government inquiry examining how better planning & design can improve children’s health will today be told that ‘the time for change is now’.  Alice Ferguson, co-founder of Playing Out, is among several child rights-focused experts who will give personal testimony to a committee of MPs. She said children’s freedom to ‘move around and play outside’ had been curtailed to the detriment of their health. “It’s such a big opportunity to get them to sit up and take notice of what’s happened to children’s lives in this country, and to urge them to do something about it,” she said. Alice ..read more

We all know that talking and listening in large, noisy spaces (like restaurants, shopping centres or concert venues) is tough. Trying to piece together snippets of conversation with background noise is frustrating, exhausting and a definite barrier to communication. Hearing and understanding speech in background noise is especially difficult for children under 10 years whose auditory systems are still developing and who don’t yet have the language skills to ‘fill-the-gaps’ when they only hear part of what’s said. Why then, asks Professor Gary Rance from the University of Melbourne, do we so of ..read more

Design Works High School, opening this autumn in downtown Brooklyn, New York City, has a mission: to create socially conscious design professionals. Students at the new social justice-oriented school will spend their freshman (first) year studying how housing and environmental issues affect their community. They will also learn about the politics of poverty and inequality. Then they will choose among three specialties: housing equity, tech equity, and design equity. “When CUNY is holding a big talk about water, and how safe water is an equity issue, we want our young people to not just be invi ..read more

The former Museum of Childhood in Bethnal Green, London, has reopened its doors as the newly styled ‘Young V&A’ after a £13m programme of reimagining. The new offering marks an effort to embed creativity into the visitor experience, with child-centred design at the heart of its new strategy. The newly-imagined museum is clearly family focused. Provisions including an extensive buggy park and friendly staff ensure that visitors with young children are welcomed and cared for. The galleries are set out over two floors, with a grand central atrium providing a social café space. The lower floor ..read more

Young teenagers are often overlooked or neglected in planning and design. The City of Antwerp commissioned Kind & Samenleving (Childhood & Society Research Centre) to map and design a ‘teenage space network plan’ for the Wilrijk District, collaborating with young teenagers (12-15 years old) in the development of the plan. This strategic policy plan provides guidance for the development of public spaces, taking into account the needs of teenagers. The concept of a ‘teenage space network’ had been developed as a result of earlier research with young people in Flanders (e.g. Van ..read more

The traditional idea of a one-or-two-storey school, spread over a vast campus is no longer an option for some new schools. Population growth and a lack of land in urban areas mean some schools have to go up. This has seen vertical schools become increasingly common. These are schools that tend to have more than four storeys. Some academics argue vertical schools are not well suited to children’s need for space and learning. But what do children want? I asked students for their opinion My study published this week surveyed students at three vertical schools. The schools had between five and ten ..read more