Previous research has shown that the built environment can be designed in ways that specifically benefit the wellbeing of children; it can support autonomy and agency, encourage socialization, create the feeling of at-homeness, and inspire the imagination. However, effectively incorporating perspectives from children into designs remains a challenge. This study suggests that an augmented photo-response method is more effective than typical “photovoice” methods when gathering preferences and views from children concerning the built environment.
To discuss the development and efficacy of an augmented photo-response method used for gathering perspectives concerning the built environment from children.
This study took place in a single facility comprised of a unique blend of spaces offering various services for a children’s health and wellbeing program. These spaces included dormitories, educational areas, community-style medical facilities (which included dental consultation areas and nursing rooms), a large dining area, and a wide range of recreational spaces.
The researchers gathered data from study participants related to three key themes: needs and preferences related to privacy, designs that contributed to feelings of relaxation, and the role of play and recreational spaces in contributing to well-being.
A multiple-methods approach was used, including six action-based workshops involving 30 children between the ages of 7-12, a Post-it Note activity involving 29 children, and four-day spatial-use observations involving 26 children. Methods for data collection during these activities included asking participants to draw their spatial preferences and experiences, followed by two types of photo-elicitation (or asking for responses to certain photographs). After a pilot study, a modified photo-response method was also used. In this new method, participants received an activity package featuring three sets of eight images along with a worksheet. Following a ranking exercise using these images, participants discussed their thoughts with researchers before receiving a new packet. Several other small tasks, such as placing colored stickers, were integrated into this activity in order to maintain participant engagement.
Data analysis involved reviewing photographs, drawings, and worksheets, as well as thematic analysis of workshop transcripts.
Data related to the theme of privacy revealed that the participants desired smaller, more private rooms within the dormitory space; more specifically, it was asked that the 16-bed dormitory rooms be replaced by smaller rooms holding three beds and an ensuite. Lack of privacy within the 16-bed dormitory generated noticeable feelings of discomfort and anxiety. This was further amplified by the fact that while the shower cubicles were private, there was a single central changing room between the bathroom and bunkroom. The desire for increased privacy was also reflected through the participants’ high preference of an image featuring a private bunkroom with privacy curtains. Increased privacy was also desired in the recreation areas; participants described an interest in “pockets or space” to use as their own within the larger area.
The theme of relaxation was also expanded upon through questions related to the facility’s design. The most popular design aesthetic among the participants prioritized natural lighting while featuring green carpet, natural wood trims, vivid colors, and exposed concrete. This contrasted somewhat with the facility’s existing 1970s aesthetic featuring strong geometries, shifting volumes, and bright colors; however, it retained an element of “relaxed informality” also found in the existing facility that participants appreciated.
This study took place in a single location, that is, by the researcher’s own admission, designed in an extremely unique fashion and used for purposes that are markedly different from a typical hospital or residential care home. Combining this fact with the unique population of children involved in the study, the conclusions drawn from this research may not necessarily apply to the contexts of many healthcare facilities or their patients.
And Also...
This study features several images that depict the unique facility involved in this study as well as the materials involved in the workshopping process.