Towards a social pedagogy of urban design

Abstract

The social and cultural position of children in the city is largely influenced by urban design logics. Urban designers have a social pedagogical role when they design spaces for children in the city. We discuss three clusters of childhood constructions that affect current prescriptive ideas on the perfect child in the perfect city: the private, the autonomous and the public child. The aim is to focus on the particular interrelations between these constructions, pedagogical theories and perspectives on design. In conclusion, we will suggest an approach to design as a collective learning process, in which children are addressed as political subjects and fellow citizens who take part in this collective research and negotiation process with other citizens about possible future scenarios for urban spaces.