in architecture

Veronica Keefer | Philadelphia University | Architecture 2012

what is

play

“play is

older than culture, for culture, however

inadequately defined, always presupposes human society, and animals have not waited for man to teach them their playing. . .

Play is a thing by itself.” -Johan Huizinga, philosopher

what is

play

play : noun game, sport the conduct, course, or action of a game one’s turn in a game recreational activity; especially: the spontaneous activity of children the state of being active a dramatic composition free or impeded motion

play : verb to engage or take part in a game to take advantage to move aimlessly about to toy or fiddle around with something to feign a specified state or quality to wield, ply to gamble to perform music [on/of] to pretend to engage in the activities of -Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary

what is

play

wan Chinese to be busy to enjoy something to trifle to romp to jest to crack jokes to make mock of to examine to sniff at to twiddle little ornaments to enjoy the moonlight

what is

play

Danish

Arabic

lege

la’iba

Swedish

leka Greek Latin French ludus -inda jouer German Sanskrit Spanish jugar spielen lilā Irish Italian kridati imirt giocare divyati

what is

play

Plato “play is a voluntary activity or occupation executed within certain fixed limits of time and place, according to rules feely accepted, but absolutely binding, having its aim in itself and accompanied by a feeling of tension, joy, and the consciousness that is ‘different’ from ‘ordinary life.’”

what is

play

“Play is the way that children learn about themselves and the world [in which they live].” -Richard Dattner architect

free

play

develop language skills construct meaning develop self efficacy motivation to learn engage in their environment learning by doing

free

play

develop language skills construct meaning develop self efficacy motivation to learn engage in their environment learning by doing

free

play

INDEPENDENT UNSTRUCTURED

yÜxx ÑÄtçR What is

IMAGINATIVE

game or activity initiated and directed by children

UTILIZE FIVE SENSES

play deficit The average child spends

hours per day

in front of a TV, computer, or video game

play deficit

%

of schools are cutting recess

play deficit

affects

higher rates of

higher rates of

higher rates of

higher rates of

childhood

childhood

ADHD

violent

depression

obesity

behavior in classroom

play challenges

What stands in the way of free play?

play challenges

What stands in the way of free play? cultural ideals parents over-scheduled lives politics testing liabilities inadequate spaces

play challenges We are building childhoods “based on fads and crazes, fashions and gimmicks.” -designer Alison Clark

Cultural Ideals

play challenges Redirect our thinking to understand that ‘mess’ can be beautiful.

Parents

Parents

play challenges Redirect our thinking to understand that ‘mess’ can be beautiful.

vs

play challenges

Over-Scheduled Lives

“I don’t really have much time to play at all because I have piano lessons. My mom makes me practice . . . and then I have homework . . . and then I got soccer practice . . . and then there is no time left over to play. On weekends we usually have soccer games . . . practice piano . . . yard work . . . the chores, and then I’m free to play-which is only about two hours, three hours something like that.” -child in San Diego, quoted by Richard Louv

play challenges

Politics

We must learn to think of playgrounds as an “urban building type”

play challenges

Testing

“Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted.” -Albert Einstein

play challenges “The American Public has difficulty with assessing risk on a daily basis.” -Susan Solomon architectural historian

Liabilities

play challenges

Inadequate Spaces

“[Often], if there is an outdoor play space, it is poorly designed.” -Barbara Wasik developmental psychologist

play design

Can architecture and design save the world?

play design

Can architecture and design save the world? No, but it can help.

play design

Polyvalence Design that “take[s] on its

identity through usage.” -Herman Hertzberger

INDEPENDENT UNSTRUCTURED

IMAGINATIVE

UTILIZE FIVE SENSES

play design

Polyvalence Design that “take[s] on its

identity through usage.” -Herman Hertzberger architect

INDEPENDENT UNSTRUCTURED

IMAGINATIVE

UTILIZE FIVE SENSES

play design

Polyvalence

Design that “take[s] on its

identity through usage.” -Herman Hertzberger, architect

Sketch of Hertzberger box floor

INDEPENDENT UNSTRUCTURED

IMAGINATIVE

UTILIZE FIVE SENSES

play design

Polyvalence

Design that “take[s] on its

identity through usage.” -Herman Hertzberger, architect

INDEPENDENT UNSTRUCTURED

http://playgrounddesigns.blogspot.com/ Photo Credit: Life Magazine archives

IMAGINATIVE

UTILIZE FIVE SENSES

play design

Polyvalence

Design that “take[s] on its

identity through usage.” -Herman Hertzberger, architect

INDEPENDENT UNSTRUCTURED

http://playgrounddesigns.blogspot.com/ Photo Credit: Peter Cox

IMAGINATIVE

UTILIZE FIVE SENSES

play design

Polyvalence

Design that “take[s] on its

identity through usage.” -Herman Hertzberger, architect

POLYVALENCE

INDEPENDENT UNSTRUCTURED

http://playgrounddesigns.blogspot.com/ Photo Credit: Peter Cox

IMAGINATIVE

UTILIZE FIVE SENSES

play design

Natural Playscapes

“Teaching children about the natural world should be one of the most important events in their lives.” -Thomas Berry, priest and cultural historian

POLYVALENCE

INDEPENDENT UNSTRUCTURED

http://playgrounddesigns.blogspot.com/ Photo  and Design Credit: Curtis Tom

IMAGINATIVE

UTILIZE FIVE SENSES

play design

Natural Playscapes

“Teaching children about the natural world should be one of the most important events in their lives.” -Thomas Berry, priest and cultural historian

POLYVALENCE

INDEPENDENT UNSTRUCTURED

http://preciouschildhood.blogspot.com/ Photo  Credit: Niki Buchan

IMAGINATIVE

UTILIZE FIVE SENSES

play design

Natural Playscapes

“Teaching children about the natural world should be one of the most important events in their lives.” -Thomas Berry, priest and cultural historian

POLYVALENCE

INDEPENDENT UNSTRUCTURED

http://playgrounddesigns.blogspot.com/ Photo Credit: Tim Gill

IMAGINATIVE

UTILIZE FIVE SENSES

play design

Natural Playscapes

“Teaching children about the natural world should be one of the most important events in their lives.” -Thomas Berry, priest and cultural historian

NATURAL PLAY

POLYVALENCE

INDEPENDENT UNSTRUCTURED

http://playgrounddesigns.blogspot.com/ Photo Credit: Tim Gill

IMAGINATIVE

UTILIZE FIVE SENSES

play design

Ability to Manipulate “Kids need the opportunity

to DO;

to engage in their environment.” -Barbara Wasik, psychologist

NATURAL PLAY

POLYVALENCE

INDEPENDENT UNSTRUCTURED

http://preciouschildhood.blogspot.com/ Photo  Credit: Niki Buchan

IMAGINATIVE

UTILIZE FIVE SENSES

play design

Ability to Manipulate “Kids need the opportunity

to DO;

to engage in their environment.” -Barbara Wasik, psychologist

NATURAL PLAY

POLYVALENCE

INDEPENDENT UNSTRUCTURED

IMAGINATIVE

UTILIZE FIVE SENSES

play design

Ability to Manipulate “Kids need the opportunity

to DO;

to engage in their environment.” -Barbara Wasik, psychologist

NATURAL PLAY

POLYVALENCE

INDEPENDENT UNSTRUCTURED

IMAGINATIVE

UTILIZE FIVE SENSES

play design

Ability to Manipulate “Kids need the opportunity

to DO;

to engage in their environment.” -Barbara Wasik, psychologst

NATURAL PLAY

POLYVALENCE

INDEPENDENT UNSTRUCTURED

http://playgrounddesigns.blogspot.com/ Image Credit: Allan Kaprow

IMAGINATIVE

UTILIZE FIVE SENSES

play design

Ability to Manipulate “Kids need the opportunity

to DO;

to engage in their environment.” -Barbara Wasik, psychologist

MANIPULATE ENVIRONMENT

NATURAL PLAY

POLYVALENCE

INDEPENDENT UNSTRUCTURED

http://playgrounddesigns.blogspot.com/ Image Credit: Allan Kaprow

IMAGINATIVE

UTILIZE FIVE SENSES

Location

play design

What good is a playground if the children

cannot get to it?

MANIPULATE ENVIRONMENT

http://playgrounddesigns.blogspot.com/ Image Credit: Allan Kaprow

NATURAL PLAY

POLYVALENCE

INDEPENDENT UNSTRUCTURED

IMAGINATIVE

UTILIZE FIVE SENSES

Location

play design

What good is a playground if the children

cannot get to it?

MANIPULATE ENVIRONMENT

NATURAL PLAY

POLYVALENCE

INDEPENDENT UNSTRUCTURED

IMAGINATIVE

UTILIZE FIVE SENSES

Location

play design

What good is a playground if the children

cannot get to it?

MANIPULATE ENVIRONMENT

NATURAL PLAY

POLYVALENCE

INDEPENDENT UNSTRUCTURED

IMAGINATIVE

UTILIZE FIVE SENSES

Location

play design

What good is a playground if the children

cannot get to it?

LOCATION

MANIPULATE ENVIRONMENT

NATURAL PLAY

POLYVALENCE

INDEPENDENT UNSTRUCTURED

IMAGINATIVE

UTILIZE FIVE SENSES

play design Design For Play

LOCATION

INDEPENDENT UNSTRUCTURED IMAGINATIVE

ABILTY TO MANIPULATE

UTILIZE FIVE SENSES

NATURAL PLAY POLYVALENCE

play bibliography http://mrg.bz/F1E2YT

http://www.photoxpress.co m/stock‐photos/young/  youth/black/3299544/partn er/Xj9qdHIQyb7etVXie4irtP Q9xtZobSzz

http://mrg.bz/PFEp3Q

http://mrg.bz/3rNDEm

http://www.photoxpress.com/stoc k‐photos/bright/desk/kid/1164016

author’s photo

http://mrg.bz/cH2sp5 http://mrg.bz/9CqGhm http://mrg.bz/3ruoY5

http://www.flickr.com/pho http://www.flickr.com/phot tos/wwworks/306070644/ os/gordieryan/113434444/

http://www.photoxpress.com/stoc k‐photos/face/girl/eyes/4653270/  partner/Xj9qdHIQyb7etVXie4irtPQ 9xtZobSzz

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ andrewbain/2961561828/

http://www.flickr.com/phot os/chefranden/335801064/

http://mrg.bz/HYuRbQ

author’s photo

http://www.fotolia.c om/id/33337673

http://mrg.bz/cJvEJd

http://mrg.bz/0fgmUo

author’s photo

http://freerangestock.com/de tails.php?gid=42&pid=1301

http://www.flickr.com /photos/61343328@N 03/5586402117/

http://www.flickr.com/pho tos/11399912@N00/68978 10/

http://www.photoxpress.com/stock‐ photos/red/basket/shop/2470079/partner/ Xj9qdHIQyb7etVXie4irtPQ9xtZobSzz

http://www.flickr.com/photos/albert ogp123/5843577306/

play bibliography

http://www.flickr.com/ph otos/jessicafm/83611088/

http://mrg.bz/fJ3flC

author’s photo

http://www.flickr.com/phot os/aerophish/425961320/siz es/z/in/photostream/

Bishop, Deborah. "Structured Play." Dwell May 2007: dwell: at home in the         modern world. Web. 21 Mar. 2012. Brown, Stuart. "Let the Children Play (Some More)." New York Times [New  York City ] 2 Sept. 2009: New York Times. Web. 20 Feb. 2012. Dael, Merete, Jan Helmer‐Petersen, Pernille Gronbech, Pia R Rasmussen,  and Monica C Madsen. Architecture and Design for Children and  Youth. 2nd edition ed. Copenhagen, Denmark: The Network for  Children and Culture, 2011. Print. http://www.flickr.com/phot author’s illustration http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1301543 os/oldsoul_sn/4249643613/ Dattner, Richard. Design for play. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold Co.,  1969. 137. Print. "Epilogue: The Islanding of Children‐Reshaping the Mythical Landscapes  of Childhood." Designing Modern Childhoods. New Brunswick, NJ:  Rutgers University Press, 2008. 316‐318. Print. Hertzberger, Herman. Lessons for students in architecture. Rotterdam:  Uitgeverij 010 Publishers, 1991. 49. Print. Huizinga, Johan. "The Play‐Concept as Expressed in Language." Homo  ludens; a study of the play‐element in culture.. Boston: Beacon Press,  1950. 28. Print. Lefaivre, Liane, Ingeborg Roode, and Rudolf Herman Fuchs. Aldo van Eyck:  http://playgrounddesign http://playgrounddesigns.blo http://playgrounddesigns.blo http://playgrounddesigns.blo the playgrounds and the city. Amsterdam: Stedelijk Museum, 2002.  gspot.com/ s.blogspot.com/ gspot.com/ gspot.com/ 105. Print. NBC Nightly News. Lewis, George. MSNBC. 19 May 2005. Web. Transcript. Louv, Richard. "xxx." Last child in the woods: saving our children from  nature‐deficit disorder. Chapel Hill, NC: Algonquin Books of Chapel  Hill, 2005. 10. Print. Marantz Henig, Robin . "Taking Play Seriously." New York Times [New York City ] 17 Feb. 2008: New York Times. Web. 22 Feb. 2012. Solomon, Susan G. American playgrounds: revitalizing community space.  http://preciouschildhood.blog http://playgrounddesigns.blo author’s photo author’s photo http://playgroundde Hanover N.H.: University Press of New England, 2005. 7. Print. signs.blogspot.com/ spot.com/ gspot.com/ Segal, Patricia. "Stages of Child Development." Developmental  Psychology. Philadelphia University. Hayward Hall, Philadelphia, PA.  18 Jan. 2012. Class lecture. Stout, Hillary. "Effort to Restore Children’s Play Gains Momentum." New  York Times [New York City ] 5 Jan. 2011: New York Times. Web. 22  Feb. 2012.

http://mrg.bz/DotZoi

author’s photo

play Seven Design Criteria for Children’s Spaces

1

INDEPENDENT UNSTRUCTURED

2

3

UTILIZE FIVE SENSES

IMAGINATIVE

4

5

ABILTY TO MANIPULATE

LOCATION

7

POLYVALENCE

6

NATURAL PLAY

Veronica Keefer | Philadelphia University | Adviser: Brian Szymanic | Architecture 2012