Furniture Design Ideas

The two products that I will discuss here, the Minkar and the Supernova, were developed as part of a product series called Galaxy and, in my opinion, each product holds a significant place in the history of playground equipment. As lead designer of this design process, I shall do my best to remain objective as […]

An initial idea, whether it comes from a break­through, by mistake, or by following a specified design development method, is just the beginning of the design development process. In the case of playground equipment, a multitude of factors beyond form and function must be considered if the product is to be a success. One of […]

The previous example expressed the importance of maintaining a dialogue between the users and the designer and though I stated earlier that it is the children who are the inventors and the designers the translators, in fact the design development process is more complex than that. Initially, most design projects begin in outline form, described […]

The photos in Figure 2.2 and Plate 2 were taken in Barcelona at Guell Park, an important historical piece of landscape architecture designed by the great master Antonio Gaudi. It has a complex yet abstract spatial quality, with interesting shapes and textures that reflect color and light. On a recent visit there, I met a […]

Most adults, I imagine, recognize the form in Plate 1 and interpret it as a children’s castle. We assume it is a castle because of the turrets and battlements, the archway, perhaps the choice of vibrant colours and, although it is not visible here, the drawbridge at the front entrance. This product had been available […]

Michael Laris Editor’s introduction As I write, another child has been murdered on a London street. He was robbed for his mobile phone then stabbed by a gang of older boys. In the light of urban crime such as this, it is important to consider the environmental quality afforded to children living in the city. […]

The Mosaic approach offers a framework for listening to young children, which reflects the com­plexities of their everyday lives. This complexity does not fit well with easily measured targets and standards. At the time of undertaking the study, one approach to gathering the views of young users was by using stickers with ‘smiley’ faces and […]

In addition to the shared spaces which held meaning for children in the group, this study also revealed a complex web of individual traces or landmarks.17 These landmarks ranged from objects and photographs to people, which summed up what was important about the nursery for different children. Younger siblings acted as landmarks for two of […]

Hart describes children’s experience of place feelings and values in terms of preferences and fears. I will use these categories to examine children’s feelings about places in the nursery. The following excerpt is from a child conference about favourite places. Researcher: Where is your favourite place in the nursery? Clare: Outside and inside and having […]

There were specific spaces in the nursery in which children used the activities experienced there to describe them. One important space was the music room. This was a multi-purpose space, which was the largest gathering point in the nursery. It had low windows allowing an open view of the courtyard and garden. This room was […]