Civil Engineering and Architecture Vol. 12(1), pp. 231 - 251
DOI: 10.13189/cea.2024.120119
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Involvement of Children's Conceptualization of Space in Design of Kindergartens to Enhance Children's Creative Potential


Noor Al Huda Mohammad Abu Ghunmi *
College of Architecture and Design, Philadelphia University, Jordan

ABSTRACT

The children are no longer regarded as passive users of their educational places; rather, they are viewed as active contributors to spatial design of these spaces. Kindergartens have profound contribution to children's psychological and cognitive development as children perceive the environmental elements and aspects through their sensory activities. One of the major contemporary challenges to kindergartens is the gap between children's needs and kindergarten design. This study aimed ‎at developing new paradigm of ‎kindergarten architectural ‎‎design that ‎considers child's psychology to improve ‎design of child-oriented ‎‎spaces, and‏ consequently, ‎children's sense‎, ‎awareness‎, ‎and experience of space‎‎. The study ‎‎followed mixed-method ‎approach‎‎, which consisted of ‏‎(‎i‎) ‎qualitative part that was ‎based on survey of ‎kindergartens in two ‎‎Jordanian cities and observation of ‎architectural design elements and ‏‎children's behaviors in four of them and (ii) ‎‎quantitative part ‎that involved the use of ‏‎questionnaire for collection of data from kindergarten residents. The‎‎‎ results revealed that ‎‎atmospheres of the four study kindergartens do not reflect innovative ‎construction craft. With respect to environmental scale, it was found that ‎architectural ‎designs ‎‎of those kindergartens ‎do not meet children's ergonomic ‎requirements‎, ‎‎especially the public ‎spaces. ‎‎As to ‎esthetic character, this study found that the cartoon images in the kindergartens ‎‎have poor symbolism. This ‎results in low level of empathic expression that ‎‎causes ‎esthetic ‎‎inconvenience‏. Regarding ‎recognizability, it was found that architectural ‎‎designs of the ‎kindergartens ‎are inclusive; respondents' ‎‎feedback supports that their designs ‎almost addressed ‎all ‎‎parts‏, ‎components, and elements ‎of kindergarten buildings, ‎teaching rooms‎, ‎corridors‎, ‎entrance ‎spaces, and ‎‎playgrounds. However, levels of ‎integration of architectural ‎designs with the ‎‎surroundings are not ‎‎optimal or ‎satisfactory. The study results lead the researcher to the conclusion that there is limited interaction of the children in the study kindergartens with their environment due to shortcomings in the architectural ‎design and the associated space experience. ‎In consequence, the researcher proposes a new paradigm of ‎kindergarten architectural ‎‎design that stresses the spatial values of the architecture. It ‎takes ‎child's psychology into account and provides (i) insights for design of child-friendly kindergarten and (ii) highlights for an efficient design of the classroom and playground areas.

KEYWORDS
Kindergartens, Architectural Design, Spatial Perception, Children's Experience, Cognitive Development

Cite This Paper in IEEE or APA Citation Styles
(a). IEEE Format:
[1] Noor Al Huda Mohammad Abu Ghunmi , "Involvement of Children's Conceptualization of Space in Design of Kindergartens to Enhance Children's Creative Potential," Civil Engineering and Architecture, Vol. 12, No. 1, pp. 231 - 251, 2024. DOI: 10.13189/cea.2024.120119.

(b). APA Format:
Noor Al Huda Mohammad Abu Ghunmi (2024). Involvement of Children's Conceptualization of Space in Design of Kindergartens to Enhance Children's Creative Potential. Civil Engineering and Architecture, 12(1), 231 - 251. DOI: 10.13189/cea.2024.120119.