No “Obstacles” In Playgrounds That Are Not Only Accessible But Also Inclusive

Authors

  • Hatice Ayataç Istanbul Technıcal Unıversıty
  • İpek Pola

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15320/ICONARP.2016120233

Keywords:

Children, play, playground, inclusive design, İstanbul.

Abstract

In the current century, the importance of play for children is a major issue addressed in the literature. Play enables the physical, mental and social development of children. According to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, engaging in play is a fundamental right for children. This article of the convention covers all children below the age of 18 and does not exclude the children with disabilities. Like their peers, children with disabilities should also enjoy the right to engage in play, and societies should use every means available in order to help children play whether indoors or outdoors.According to the 2011 Population and Housing Research, 6.6% of the population in Turkey has one or more disabilities. The target group of this study is ‘children with disabilities’ who live in İstanbul. In this group, speech disorders (21.9%), and mental disabilities (17.1%) prove to be the most dominant disabilities. However, the number of playgrounds where disabled children can play are scarce in number.This study provides an analysis of children’s playgrounds, which are essential for the development of children, and evaluates the design features of these playgrounds based on inclusive design principles. The study also addresses the requirements of inclusive playgrounds by referring to the examples of inclusive playgrounds around the world as well as those few examples in Turkey.  The design principles of inclusive playgrounds were also evaluated for three parks in İstanbul which were designed and are currently in use - namely Kadıköy Göztepe 60. Yıl Park, Beşiktaş Dilek Sabancı Park and Kadıköy Selamiçeşme Özgürlük Park. 

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Author Biographies

Hatice Ayataç, Istanbul Technıcal Unıversıty

Hatice Ayataç is an associate professor in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning at the Faculty of Architecture, ITU.  She has articles and researches on key issues of urban design, urban planning and universal design. She is also the writer of the book titled “International Diffusion of Planning Ideas- Influence on İstanbul’s Urban Fabric” published by Lambert Academic Publishing in 2012.  She has been giving lectures at the undergradute and graduate levels at ITU and Arel University .

İpek Pola

İpek Pola recieved undergraduate degree from Department of Landscape Architecture at Ege University (2011) and M.S.degree from ITU (2015). She currently works as an landscape architect in the Fides Company in İstanbul. 

References

Bahadır, B. (2014). A Study of Inclusiveness in Parks with a Focus on the Disabled: The Case of İstanbul-Göztepe 60. Yıl Park. (Master's Thesis), İstanbul University, İstanbul.

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Pola, İ. (2015). Inclusive Approach in Children’s Playgrounds: An Evaluation for İstanbul. (Master Thesis), İstanbul.

Prellwitz, M. (2007). Playgrounds Accessibility and Usability for Children with Disabilities. (PhD Dissertation), Luleå University of Technology Department of Human Work Sciences.

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Published

27-12-2016

How to Cite

Ayataç, H., & Pola, İpek. (2016). No “Obstacles” In Playgrounds That Are Not Only Accessible But Also Inclusive. ICONARP International Journal of Architecture and Planning, 4(2), 01–14. https://doi.org/10.15320/ICONARP.2016120233

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Articles