Architecture designed for children becomes truly meaningful when young users are actively involved in the design process. Participatory design approaches help bridge the gap between architects and the people who will ultimately use the spaces, creating environments that genuinely reflect user needs and preferences.
Five innovative projects from around the world demonstrate how incorporating children as central participants in architectural design can lead to transformative results. These projects span various building types, from kindergartens and schools to community centers and public spaces, showing that collaborative design benefits both architects and young users alike.
The design philosophy behind participatory architecture recognizes that children bring unique perspectives to spatial planning. Through active listening and co-design processes, children can learn about materials, scale, decision-making, and develop spatial awareness. Meanwhile, architects gain valuable insights by exercising sensitivity and imagination while recognizing worldviews focused on discovery and exploration.
In Ecuador, the Renacer de Chamanga Community House by Actuemos Ecuador exemplifies community-centered design following natural disaster recovery. Built to serve 30 families in a region devastated by an earthquake, this community center focused on supporting local organization through reconstruction activities, communal work, and educational workshops. The children's play area emerged directly from drawings and workshops conducted with community children, resulting in an interlocking structure of cane and wooden pilings that allows kids to climb, hang, and slide.
Brazil's Tree Square (Praça da Árvore) by Lazo Arquitetura e Urbanismo represents a community-driven project from inception to completion. On-site workshops with local children aged 0 to 3, along with their families and caregivers, helped shape the design of this urban playground. The square features a dry fountain and playful topography complemented by gardens and a central Paineira tree, encouraging free play in a safe urban environment.
The initial workshop attracted about 20 children and 5 mothers, providing crucial insights into the user demographics and needs. Subsequent workshops served as guidance throughout the design process, revealing children's desires to see stars, balloons in the tree, swings, slides, and a water fountain. By project completion, participation had grown to 70 children and caregivers who celebrated the space's opening together.
In Thailand, the Bang Nong Saeng Kindergarten by Sarquella & Torres Arquitectes demonstrates how community participation can guide educational facility design. The architects first identified the community's educational and recreational needs, which then informed the redefinition of spatial requirements. During construction, on-site collaboration fostered a creative environment and promoted social bonding across different classes, generations, and backgrounds.
The project philosophy emphasized that the collaborative process became more valuable than the final result, as city students, international instructors, village children, and rural workers shared knowledge and learned from each other while working side by side. This cross-cultural exchange enriched the educational experience for all participants.
Brazil's Sustainable School project by Sem Muros Arquitetura Integrada revitalized a 1950s building through comprehensive community engagement. Students, staff, and families each participated through unique activities, but all started with the same fundamental question: "What do you envision for this school?" The feedback and ideas gathered from this inclusive process established three key design pillars: minimal environmental impact, hands-on learning approaches, and rapid construction methods.
The collaborative approach extended beyond design into construction phases, involving builders, the school community, public authorities, children, architects, and students in an interdisciplinary and collective process. Participatory design gained substance during construction as solutions were created using resources available on-site, demonstrating sustainable and community-centered building practices.
In Bangladesh, the CSF Centre for People With Disabilities by Rizvi Hassan serves as both a shelter and educational facility for children with disabilities. The project employed a thoroughly participatory design method where children, families, and the broader community actively shaped the space through discussions, sketches, and even walking on large-scale printed plans to co-create an environment reflecting everyone's needs and aspirations.
Workshops with local artisans enabled children's artwork to be incorporated directly into the building's walls, creating personal connections to the space. The center's design encourages exploration and playfulness through textured walkways, climbing steps, and low walls while ensuring full accessibility. These design elements also allow parents to remain nearby to support their children during activities.
These five projects collectively demonstrate that participatory design with children opens doors to expanded networks that include families and engage entire communities, proving that architecture truly belongs to everyone. The collaborative design process creates enriching exchanges where children develop spatial awareness and decision-making skills while architects learn to exercise greater sensitivity and imagination in their practice.
The success of these projects lies not just in their final built forms, but in the educational and community-building processes they facilitated. By involving children as active participants rather than passive recipients, these architects have created spaces that genuinely serve their users while fostering stronger community connections and cross-generational learning opportunities.
