A puppy petting zoo instead of cars: Participation of children during the reallocation of road space

Kurzfassung

Unlike other modes of transport, walking is always associated with spending time in a space, as it is not just about getting from A to B as quickly as possible. It is also about the perception of the immediate surroundings, which is much more direct when walking than with other means of transport. Especially children need a high quality urban public space for their leisure activities, for strolling around and meeting friends in the neighbourhood. Therefore, it is important to know more about children’s needs and to invest in the quality of streets and public space so that they are safe, accessible, attractive and valued for children. This study addresses this research gap by involving children (aged 10 to 12 years) as peer-researchers throughout the implementation of a street space reallocation project in Berlin, acknowledging them as experts of their urban environment and their mobility needs. In the summer of 2023, a temporary project of street space reallocation started in Berlin-Kreuzberg. The idea was to remove private parking step-by-step and upgrade the sidewalks and remaining areas. The street, where a school is located, now offers seating, greenery and a "green classroom" that can be used as a meeting place and for teaching. By involving children as co-researchers in the reallocation process, we applied sketch mapping, photovoice, go-alongs, drawings and sensor measurements to detect children’s needs, appropriation of space and daily mobility patterns. The results show that children attach particular importance to greenery, water elements and aesthetic planting. They would also like to see more animals in the city. For example, they expressed that they would like to have a puppy petting zoo in the street. Of course, this puppy petting zoo is not possible, but the essence behind this idea can be taken into account by urban planning. For example, more outdoor spaces in the city could be made available for pets and wild animals could be attracted to live in the city (e.g. birds, butterflies, squirrels). Overall, the results demonstrate that aesthetic green elements of urban design play a particularly important role and these are more important than separate places for children of this age group, such as playgrounds. Rather, it is about adapting the entire urban space to the needs of children, which are surprisingly for the most parts also in harmony with the wishes of adults.