Understanding Well-Being Through Children's Eyes: Lessons for Shaping the Built Environment

Abstract

The role of socio-spatial contexts in promoting children's well-being in urban planning and design is gaining attention. Nevertheless, the discourse on children's well-being has primarily been shaped by adults, often overlooking the unique needs and perspectives of younger populations. This interdisciplinary study located in Berlin, Germany, conducted by educational scientists, planners, and architects, challenges this by directly engaging with children through game-based data collection combined with ethnographic research to explore their well-being needs. From children's centers and schools to digital worlds, neighborhoods, and interactions with crime, children clearly articulate where, how, when, and with whom they create moments of well-being. The findings highlight the importance of children's centers as well-being hubs, offering insights into how well-being can be nurtured through both physical design and programmatic offerings tailored to children's needs. A key insight is the role of religious places and family practices, alongside micro-spaces and translocal references provided by neighborhood spaces, in shaping children's sense of identity and well-being. Additionally, the importance of having access to digital spaces is emphasized by the children. The study contributes to the discourse on child-friendly cities by advocating for multi-scalar planning and design approaches. The research calls for urban planners and designers to integrate children's perspectives to design spaces that accommodate the full spectrum of children's well-being needs, including micro-scale interventions and flexible, child-responsive interior designs.