City village will become a place to live for most of the people in the future. According to a statistic prediction, 68% of Indonesian population in 2025 will live in a city village. However, population density which is followed by building density in city village will cause various impacts for its residents both physically and non-physically, thus providing social space for children is required. Children become a part of community who need to obtain attention, particularly regarding interaction process with their peers because their interaction capability will determine the success in the future.
Those were stated by Sativa, a lecturer from Department of Civil and Planning Engineering Education, Faculty of Engineering, Yogyakarta State University (Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta) during an open examination for Architecture Doctoral Programme at Faculty of Engineering UGM on Tuesday (30/1).
Specifically, Sativa conducted research regarding social space for children by researching the existence of children’s social space in Ngampilan Village, Yogyakarta. This research was done through rationalistic approach, collecting data using Environmental Behavioral Studies method which consisted of place centers map, physical traces, and interviews.
The result of her research shows the form of social space for children in Ngampilan Village is a physical space inside the village area where it is utilized for children’s interaction which is formed organically. The form is also influenced by the high population and building density, a firm village’s border, as well as its location which is in riverbanks. “Physically, the social space has variations which can be categorized based on the degree of space’s openness, the degree of space’s nature, and degree of space’s elements fixation,” said Sativa.
However, according to Sativa, the children’s behaviors in utilizing the social space vary based on the types of activity and movement which are influenced by physical and non-physical aspects. The result of interaction between children and their parents as well as the village community can be realized by providing social space for children corresponding to their needs, including sociality, accessibility, territoriality, adaptability, opportunity, thermal comfort, challenges, visual comfort, safety, and privacy.