Contextualizing Meso Space as a Safe Space for Children Towards Child Friendly Cities

Abstract

A child-friendly city places a high priority on addressing the needs and safeguarding the rights of children within an urban setting. The limited availability of play spaces in urban areas has had a detrimental impact on the ability of urban children to engage in unstructured outdoor play within a secure and pleasurable built environment. The principles of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) have been widely employed by local governments globally to advance the concept of safe cities. This approach can be effectively implemented across different levels of the built environment. This study investigated the perceptions of children aged 7 to 12 towards the surrounding space and built environment in which they reside. The aim was to identify factors that contribute to their sense of safety, utilising the Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) framework. The research was conducted in an urban village situated approximately 10km away from the city centre of Kuala Lumpur. The technique of collective mapping was employed in order to facilitate the visualisation of the experiences of the child participants and to identify any gaps in the research. This qualitative research investigation conceptualized the notion of the "meso space" as an intermediary zone situated between the home environment and the urban setting, with the aim of enhancing urban safety, particularly for children.

Keywords: Children, Safe Space, Child Friendly Cities, Safe City, CPTED