Child-Friendly Open Spaces: Towards Safety in Residential Neighborhoods

Abstract

Rapid urbanization, high traffic density, and lack of open spaces are noticeable challenges that impose several repercussions on children within the urban context and restrict them from living a normal childhood. Independent mobility is reduced according to the spatial deprivation of children from pedestrian experiences in urban environments. Consequently, children’s opportunities for active engagement and participation in social life will be diminished. Residing in safe environments is a fundamental right that should be granted to all children around the world. Recently, child-friendly urban design has gained a lot of attention due to its remarkable advantages as it brings children’s needs and desires into practice. Creating safe, child-friendly open spaces contributes to protecting children from traffic injuries and crimes while at the same time stimulating their imagination and nurturing communication skills. This paper addresses the topic of safe, child-friendly open spaces in residential neighborhoods, which can significantly improve the life, health, and growth of children with a focus on social and traffic aspects within the urban context. Identifying the design principles of safe, child-friendly open spaces is the main aim that will be tackled. To achieve this goal, the research will follow a theoretical approach by applying a qualitative research methodology through historical interpretation and understanding of the main characteristics and design principles of child-friendly open spaces. This would be followed by an evaluative analysis of a related case-study. The expected results of this research are planned to introduce an adapted design model for safe child-friendly open spaces in residential neighborhoods for the local context of Saudi cities with more focus on both social and traffic safety aspects.