Urban Development Possibilities for Child-Friedly Cities: The Case of School Environments

Abstract

The urban environment of schoolsis everyday destination for children: place for arrival and departure, gathering, meetings, and even playing. In these transition zonesthe city meets aprivate institution, therefore not only citizens’ but also the school community’s needs have to be served. While child-friendly initiatives are important factors in urban developments, the public spaces around schools can be neglected. Besides the cultural differences, certain urban environments offer different development opportunities around schools. Research investigates the characteristics of the open spaces around schools in general and then on a local scale in Budapest, Hungary. By analysing individual school situations, a typology has been made to describe schools’ public open space relations. The paper focuses on the entrance zone of schools, where challenges and expectations are concentrated. Research reviews the good examples to show guidance on how we can turn these places into child-friendly network hubs.