Graduation projects
School in Subcetate
Project description
Designing spaces for children is generally based on adults' perception of the environment, which is not necessary relevant to how children function. Le Corbusier in turn mentions in Towards a New Architecture, that: „man looks at the creation of architecture with his eyes, which are 5 feet 6 inches from the ground. Logical and rational codes such as this, form the standard for much of architectural production - but of course, these norms are as constructed as architecture itself. This particular standard is especially irrelevant when designing for children, for whom the adult - centric assumptions of architecture do not and should not apply”. While adults perceive space more through form, aesthetics and function (Matthews, 1992), children see space as having multiple functions, not just from an aesthetic rational point of view (Christensen, 2003). The outdoor space that opens up to nature gives children the freedom to move more freely. It is a space where their senses are easily stimulated by greenery and animals (Kellert, 2002). Its microclimate is natural and dynamic; Changes brought about by temperature, wind and the presence of rain or snow (Prescott, 1987; Olds, 1989). Such an environment gives children the opportunity to understand that nature is not man-made, but dynamic and timeless (Prescott, 1987). The outdoor experience allows children to interpret and extrapolate the differences between the characteristics of the outdoor space compared to the indoor experience. Children's physical movement, cognitive scanning and social interaction in an indoor or outdoor space is directly influenced by the surrounding spatial properties. These interactions involve complex both sensory and motor actions. Perception (sight, touch, audio, smell and taste) and mobility in a space reveal a lot of significant information. In other words, perception is an active experience, where a child finds information through mobility (Kytta, 2003). "We must perceive in order to move, and we must move in order to perceive" (Gibson, 1979). A built environment that provides children with an active cognitive environment regarding external stimuli through movement and social actions will encourage them to affiliate with, or create connections with it (Chawla, 1992; Khan, 2002). Thus, the project aims to understand, stimulate and transpose the above.
Author's presentation text
Andrada Feier, graduate of the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism Timișoara. Currently, she is professing in the field of architecture and urbanism. She is interested about how people perceive space by sensory means and to highlight human connection with nature, using the architecture and strategic construction of the surrounding elements.