Shaping the future : encouraging positive adolescent development through architecture

Abstract

This study highlights the importance of human interaction, specifically during adolescence, with the physical environment, and the influence that the latter exercises on adolescent development and behaviour. When considering such an influence upon adolescents specifically, the implications are profound since this period in early life is characterised by sudden psychological and biological changes which demand certain environments to help foster development. This paper analyzes how important it is that the design process of adolescent spaces does not revolve around a scenario where professionals assume the needs of the targeted users without any process of inquiry and consultation with these said, users. This dissertation aims to shed light on the importance of a true understanding of adolescents’ needs within the Maltese context, and advocates for a more dialogistic approach in which adolescents themselves are involved in the design process. A multimodal approach is adopted with information collected from published reports, open-ended interviews, unpublished secondary data, as well as on-site observations. Through an analysis of the data collected, a set of recommended interventions are drawn up to guide architects in their design process. Ultimately, this dissertation seeks to highlight both the professional as well as the adolescent perspective to portray how the two can work symbiotically to design adolescent-friendly spaces within the Maltese neighbourhood which contribute to adolescents’ overall well-being. Results obtained from this study form a framework which architects can abide with when designing adolescent friendly spaces. These include catering for autonomous exploration of space, implementing nature within architectural spaces, catering for socialization and physical activity, and implementing safety measures. Finally, the study highlights a number of direct interventions which can feature all of the above design measures. These include adolescent friendly internet cafes, temporary cultural events, more gardens and nature parks, sports complexes and adolescent centred workshops which are specifically catered towards involving adolescents in the design process.