Summary for Interpretations of Urban Child-Friendliness

This focused mainly on "green spaces." Not in the sense of sustainable products but around nature. Outdoor spaces were important to the children. Naturally, parents were concerned about safety and held this as a high priority. Both children and parents were concerned about traffic issues because they wanted to feel comfortable that the children would be able to play safely and comfortably in the neighborhood. These subjects really wanted to live in areas to be able to interact comfortably w/ friends as well as having a child-friendly neighborhood. Natural surrounding also exhibits pleasant colors and sounds compared to (most of the time) urban environments. My residential space is located in a prime Kirkland gated community set in natural surroundings. Greenery is everywhere. I'd like to believe that this is the type of neighborhood described in the article. The gates to the neighborhood promotes the feeling of safety, there's that natural-type setting everywhere you turn your head, and traffic is relatively low.

Summary for A Room for Living: Private and Public Aspects in the Experience of the Living Room

The thing that I didn't realize until later is that children were not involved in the study of this article. That was kind of a bummer but it did focus on various pairs of adults. My residential space consists of a single family with 2 young children. I decided to use this article anyway because I know that the parents will want alone time at some point and I think that this article can cater to all ages even though there were no children used in the study. Anyway, this article was all about how to use the living room. Basically people would want to utilize this space as a place of multi-use, a comfortable area where they can feel like getting away from their every day lives yet able to accommodate guests. Incorporating memories in the living space may also heighten the sense of solitude or a connection with the family. The way you can achieve this is by incorporating framed photos or displaying some decorative piece obtained on a caribbean vacation get-away, for example. It also describes that the living room is a natural space for a variety of activities so it's nice to have access to other parts of the home. Inhabitants would like to enjoy time alone without feeling lonely.

Articles on Residential Design

All articles taken from InformeDesign:

1) A Room for Living: Private & Public Aspects in the Experience of the Living Room
www.informedesign.umn.edu/Rs_detail.aspx?rsId=3350

2) Interpretations of Urban Child-Friendliness: A Comparative Study of (2) Neighborhoods in Helinsky & Rome
www.informedesign.umn.edu/Rs_detail.aspx?rsId=3245

3) Exploring the Role of Home Design in Fostering Family Interaction: The Use of Programming Methods in Research
www.informedesign.umn.edu/Rs_detail.aspx?rsId=1726

Concept Statement for Smith Residence

This comfortably, spacious home (2,942 sq. ft) will have dual uses - a sanctuary to call home as well as a workplace (not always, but often) for the man of the house. Mrs. Smith also works from home. She considers cooking, baking, and reading her favorite hobbies. She would like the space to feel cozy and kid-friendly so that it is a place their children will feel comfortable. The style of the home will be casual yet attractive. The interior does not necessarily need to be conventional but they would like to stay away from styles that are too serious, formal, or modern. The home should be free of anything stiff or extravagant. They would like to stay more on the simple side. The family likes to entertain often so the place must be warm and inviting but without the usage of bright or too many colors. Lots of natural light would be great to enhance the open, bright feeling.

The Smith Residence will not only work as a practical work place but a comfortable and cozy living situation for all. It will welcome all guests and make them feel at home.