At the inaugural Urbanity conference in Brisbane, architect Natalia Krysiak presented her recent findings on the future of city living and why our city planners need to urgently find (and listen to) their inner-child.
With many streets and public spaces having become inhospitable to kids, Natalia is exploring an identified gap between the planning and design of our cities, and those who occupy those spaces (or are being excluded by design). Specifically, she’s investigating the potential for high-density areas to provide environments for increased play and independent mobility of kids.
In an invited opinion piece for The Urban Developer, Natalia points to opportunities for our built environment to invoke playfulness and learning in children, and highlights what’s happening in cities at the forefront of providing for kids.
Read: All Work, No Play: Why Child-Blind Cities Need to Change
Image: At Serrata, a residential development in Melbourne’s Docklands, Hayball incorporated play spaces directly into the façade.