Young Person‘s Station Proposal

By: Angela Ruan

TABLE OF CONTENTS

What I hope to see in the Urban Room

What I found about Urban Rooms

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03

02

Research & Findings

Why a Young Person’s Activity Space?

Proposal

Research & Findings

01

What I found about Urban Rooms

Origins of the Urban Room

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• The term ‘urban room‘ became popular in the Farrell Review (2013) (Samuel).

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• Urban Room is a concept with a rich history (Tewdr Jones, Sookhoo and Freestone).

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• “A place for the common, the universe, local authority, practice, and bother organics to come to discuss and research the future of their city“ (Samuel).

Who is Sir Terry Farrell?

• A British architect and urban designer

• His review stated that there is a lack of public engagement with architecture and the planning process (RJBA Journal).

• In 2013, the UK government commissioned Farrell to review the country’s built environment (RJBA Journal).

• He “... recommended that every city should have an ‘urban room’ where local people can learn about the past, present, and future of where they live.” (RJBA Journal)

“Hindsight: Terry Farrell on What He’s Learnt in 50 Years as an Architect.” RIBA Journal, 4 Nov. 2020, www.ribaj.com/culture/hindsight-terry-farrell-looks-back-lessons-from-eminent-architects.

What is an Urban Room?

• A place where...

• Neighborhood meetings are held

• Events are hosted

• Art exhibits are displayed

• A space of study and reflection

• A place to simply hang out

• (Future of Small Cities Institute)

Farrells. “Farrell Centre Launches in Newcastle - Farrells.” Farrells, 19 May 2023, farrells.com/news_item/farrell-centre-launches-in-newcastle.

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The Elements of Urban Room

It provides several visually appealing elements in urban rooms around the globe. It could possibly be utilized as a source of inspiration for the next project.

This aids in developing the ideal and possible appearance of the area.

It can be helpful to take inspiration from already accomplished Urban Rooms.

What?

Why?

For whom?

Pictures of Culture House

Maitlyn. “CultureHouse Union Square.” CultureHouse, 4 Apr. 2024, culturehouse.cc/projects/union-square.

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Pictures of Culture House

Maitlyn. “CultureHouse Union Square.” CultureHouse, 4 Apr. 2024, culturehouse. cc/projects/union-square.

Why a Young Person’s Activity Space?

02

Why a Young Person’s Activity Space?

“Many initiatives to involve young people give little attention to issues of conflict, power, and diversity in neighborhood development” (Barry Percy-Smith 1).

Places are critical factors in youth development regarding future possibilities, specifically how the place can help them imagine their future selves (Prince).

Spaces must be inclusive and diverse to create a healthy atmosphere where young people can share their experiences (Jørgensen & Allan).

Lack of Young People’s Community Spaces

The Role of Physical Environment

Relationship between Space and Place

Benefits of Having a Young Person’s Space

• It offers a space where young people can explore their passions.

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• It provides a safe space where all young people and their backgrounds feel welcome and have a sense of belonging.

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• It fosters supportive relationships among youth, their peers, and adults.

Atanasov, Dragan. “Creating Safe Spaces for Young People - Positive Mental Health EU.” Positive Mental Health EU, 11 Feb. 2024, positivementalhealth.eu/2021/02/11/creating-safe-spaces-for-young-people.

Proposal

03

What I hope to see in the Urban Room

3D Vision of a Young Person’s Space

What I Hope to See in the Urban Room

• The target populations would be two groups, mainly ages under 12 for the kids zone and 13-18+ for the teen space.

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• Kids zone would have educational activities (i.e., identifying parts of what makes up a city).
• Potential Activity: Using city blocks

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• Teen spaces would have craft-related activities (i.e., identity-based colleges)
• Potential Prompt: How is your identity tied to the Pleasant Street neighborhood?
• Other activities would be a ping-pong table and tarts.

Urban Child Academy - a Preschool for Chicago’s Next Generation. www.urbanchild.org/come-inside.htm.

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CREDITS: This presentation template was created by Slidesgo, and includes icons by Flaticon, and infographics & images by Freepik

THANKS!

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• Atanasov, Dragan. “Creating Safe Spaces for Young People - Positive Mental Health EU.” Positive Mental Health EU, 11 Feb. 2024, positivementalhealth.eu/2021/02/11/creating-safe-spaces-for-young-people.
• Barry Percy-Smith. “From Consultation to Social Learning in Community Participation with Young People.” Children, Youth and Environments, vol. 16, no. 2, 2006, pp. 153–79. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.7721/chilyoutenvi.16.2.0153. Accessed 7 May 2024.
• Farrells. “Farrell Centre Launches in Newcastle - Farrells.” Farrells, 19 May 2023, farrells.com/news_item/farrell-centre-launches-in-newcastle.
• “Hindsight: Terry Farrell on What He’s Learnt in 50 Years as an Architect.” RIBA Journal, 4 Nov. 2020, www.ribaj.com/culture/hindsight-terry-farrell-looks-back-lessons-from-eminent-architects.
• Hopkins, Owen. “Why we’ve created an Urban Room for Newcastle.” Why we’ve created an Urban Room for Newcastle, 12 Dec. 2023, from.ncl.ac.uk/why-weve-created-an-urban-room-in-newcastle.
• Jørgensen, C. R., & Allan, J. (2022). Our school: our space – inclusion and young people’s experiences of space within an English secondary free school. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603116.2022.2073059
• Prince D. What about Place? Considering the Role of Physical Environment on Youth Imagining of Future Possible Selves. J Youth Stud. 2014 Jul;17(6):697-716. doi: 10.1080/13676261.2013.836591. PMID: 25642137; PMCID: PMC4307016.
• Samuel, Flora. “The Cambridge (Urban) Room - Here and Now.” Here & Now - The Academy of Urbanism Journal, 14 Sept. 2023, journal.theaou.org/articles/the-cambridge-urban-room.
• Tewdr Jones, M., Sookhoo, D. and Freestone, R. (2020) ‘From Geddes’ city museum to Farrell’s urban room: past, present, and future at the Newcastle City Futures exhibition’, Planning Perspectives, 35(2), pp. 277–297.
• Urban Child Academy - a Preschool for Chicago’s Next Generation. www.urbanchild.org/come-inside.htm.
• “Urban Room — Future of Small Cities Institute.” Future of Small Cities Institute, www.futureofsmallcities.org/urban-room#:~:text=An%20Urban%20Room%20is%20a,their%20neighborhood%20and%20their%20city.

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