We let kids design our city – here is what happened’ by Mara Mintzer
Mara Mintzer talks about including children in the design process of cities and how this could make the final design more effective. Kids think differently from adults, they see no constraints and don’t limit their creativity, therefore instead of eliminating expensive, dangerous or different ideas, they give them a chance to explore further. By including every different age group we could get a better result that includes everyone’s visions. The most important thing I got from the ted talk is that it is very important to work with different people that could have different ideas and work together to benefit the ones who will be using the space in the end. Everyone who could benefit by using the space should have a voice in the design process, making it more inclusive.
How to revive a neighborhood’ by Theaster Gates
Gates talks bout his experience if renovating abandoned buildings in his neighborhood in Chicago and the effect this can have on the community. He took buildings that were left behind and gave them a new use that turned them into a neighborhood hub that brings people together and makes the community more united. Just like he makes ceramic pots out of nothing, he compares it to what he does with the buildings. What we can learn from the talk is that small changes like that can have a major influence on the neighborhood and the people in it. Small details can reshape a block, a neighborhood or potentially a city.
Both methods would be applicable to my neighborhood’s situation. Having an important hub can be very good for Jackson height’s community and could improve the interactions between the different communities. Also, it could provide a chance for more interactions between adults and more fun spaces for children. Including children and different groups into the design process could make the space better for everyone’s needs and could help me get a more holistic understanding of what the people need.
