The Design of Childhood

March 5, 2018
Architectural historian Lange (Writing About Architecture) skillfully explores how the design of children’s toys and built environments reflects evolving philosophies of child-rearing and development. Lange begins by discussing how children learn through building toys like standarized wooden “unit blocks,” introduced in the early 20th century; their more adaptable successor, Lego; and today’s digital alternative, Minecraft. The construction of high chairs, school desks, and playgrounds, meanwhile, reveals shifting value judgments by parents and educators about the balance between participation, freedom, and safety. Lange contrasts the suburban model of the home as primary play space with modern city designs that aim to allow children to play freely near their homes. When money is not made available to update spaces in lower-income areas, she warns, those communities can suffer. The book also tracks the design of classrooms and schools over the course of American history, from the earliest one-room schoolhouses; through the fixed-desk rows of the late 19th century, when reformers began introducing compulsory education; to today’s open-plan layouts. Never attempting the role of parenting guru or educator, Lange is not prescriptive, but does powerfully remind readers of the importance of constructing spaces that make all people, including children, feel both welcomed and independent. B&w photos. Agenct: Phyillis Wender, Gersh Agency.

April 1, 2018
An informative road map for those who want to maximize their children's material environment.When architecture critic Lange (The Dot-Com City: Silicon Valley Urbanism, 2014, etc.) had her first child, she "came to see each successive stage of childhood development as an opportunity for encounters with larger and more complex environments." Her approach is primarily historical and design-focused as she explores five specific topics that make up the "designed-for-childhood environment": blocks, house, school, playground, and city. Corrugated cardboard boxes appeared in the 1870s, and children quickly saw their appeal as playthings. Wooden beads and blocks gained popularity around 1900. Blocks designed by Friedrich Froebel, the inventor of kindergarten, became popular when Milton Bradley began manufacturing them in the 1870s. Lange then traces the development and sophistication of blocks from the Danish LEGO (leg godt or "play well") to "Minecraft" to Zoob, each crucial to stimulating children's imaginations. Next up is house; as the author writes, children "need furnishings couched to their frames but also to their abilities." The high chair dawned in the 1830s, followed by kid-size dishes. In 1929, Parents magazine featured the "Whole-Family House." Lange teaches us about Maria Montessori, the "magic of the storage wall," and the significance of Peter Opsvik's multipurpose Tripp Trapp chair. School focuses on how "pedagogy and architecture go hand in hand." The first spaces in America called "play grounds" were created in Boston in 1885 out of piles of sand, and the first jungle gym was installed in Winnetka, Illinois, in 1920. Lange argues that "segregating children's play from the flow of urban life creates its own problems." She hands out A ratings to cities (Rotterdam, Oslo, Seattle) who are redesigning city spaces in terms of children's welfare. Disneyland gets an A-plus for its exemplary "child-friendly outdoor environment."Parents and educators will discover a wealth of information to inspire and help "make childhood a better place."

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