Children's Views about Child Friendly City: A Case Study from Izmir

Due to the effects of industrialization, urbanization and correspondingly aroused environmental degradation in this century, children cannot get involved in the urban life sufficiently. A good city is child-centered and child friendly from all aspects. Recently, studies concerning the importance of child participation are carried out for designing child friendly cities. Within this context, this study aims to obtain the views of children about the 'child friendly city' via a case study held in three different districts of Izmir. Tools of open-ended questions and drawing tasks are used in obtaining the views. The case study is planned in two stages. The first stage was held in two schools within the central city of Izmir one with low, and other with high socio-economic data. In these schools, yet there are no works or future plans of district municipalities on the issue of 'child friendly city'. The aim in here is to examine the impacts of socio-economic data on perception of children. The second stage of the study is held in Seferihisar, a peripheral district outside the center of Izmir. Known with its vision of slow city, Seferihisar Municipality has considered the issue of being 'a child friendly city' in its strategic plan and accomplished various works relatedly. Within this context, the impacts of municipal works on the perception of children are examined with a mid-level group irrespective of their socio-economic states. Comparing and later interpreting the results of this dual research, the views of children on 'child friendly city' are found out paving the way for evaluation of the children's views, which enables to take the first step for Izmir to reach the criteria of the child friendly city. The findings of the study involve important data for the future, to be of interest of architects and planners in particular.