ABSTRACT
In Chapter 7, through the case study of contemporary school environments where children’s formation of sense of place has been neglected, the emotional and developmental problems of children influenced by daily school settings are examined.
The first case study evaluates compact urban schools in Seoul, Korea, focusing on the schools with limited playground space. From the case study, issues are found in terms of restricted social development, depression, and feminization of play due to the restriction of access to favorite outdoor places. Quality designs are found to be a possible solution that could compensate for the deprival of a playground.
The second case study is the comparison of five brede schools (community schools) in the Netherlands, focusing on community-sharing school facilities. The design and location of shared space and access to good-quality outdoor space is found to be critical as it is a key factor in the development such as environmental confidence, indifference to the school environment, and psychological restriction. Those agendas need to be treated in a sensitive and prudent manner in the context of the global urbanization that inevitably transforms traditional school spaces.
