Playful Learning Landscapes is a global movement that combines placemaking with early learning. By creating environments for children that adhere to a set of research-based principles of playful learning, children are invited to playfully explore their world in ways that lead to defined learning goals.

In this tour, participants will visit the site of Urban Thinkscape and a Playbrary project, two of the world’s first built playful learning spaces to see how the principles of healthy child development have been applied.

As well as describing the design process, we will focus on a key aspect of such projects; engagement with the community. A community expert will speak about stewardship and involving locals in design and impact assessment. Architect Itai Palti and scientist Brenna Hassinger-Das will describe the opportunities and challenges in producing these unique social and learning environments.

Participants will be able to take away insights from the project on how to integrate playful learning in their own practice, as well as get an understanding of community-led processes and Science-Informed Design.

Learning Objectives

1. Develop an understanding of community involvement in projects
2. Explore built case studies that incorporated the principles of playful learning into their design process.
3. Learn about impact assessment in built projects.
4. Understand new ways to frame the value of design work.

Credits

2 AIA LUs

Speakers

• Rebecca Braun, AIA
• Sarah Lytle
• Itai Palti
• Owen Sacco
• Michael Spain, Assoc. AIA, NOMA
• Eli Storch, AIA
• Rachael Todaro

Tour Locations:

• Wondering Studio, 1218 Arch St
• Urban Thinkscape, Corner of 40th and Lancaster Ave 
• Playbrary, 2320 Cecil B Moore Ave

*Tour Departs the Center for Architecture + Design at 8:30 a.m. on 11/11/22.