Designing with care for someone else

We started with a simple question: "What do you think inclusive means?" After a moment of silence and confusion, we explained it as a place where everyone feels welcome and can use the space, no matter their age, gender, abilities, or background. Then something clicked!

This time, the group was beautifully diverse, boys and girls together, which made the dynamics extra fun.

One of the loveliest parts of the workshop was seeing the kids’ street visions come to life and how different their perspectives were. To our surprise, one map started out almost entirely in black and grey, packed with cars and roads. But little by little, as the afternoon went on (and with some inspiration from the other groups), colour began to appear. It felt like watching a street “open up.”

Another map was the complete opposite: an explosion of colour. When we asked one girl about the water she drew on Plein 1944, she smiled and said: “It reflects the rainbow”.

And then there was one moment that made the room feel very quiet for a second: two buildings were turned into schools for blind people. When we asked why, a boy simply said: “My relative is blind.” That’s when you see the shift from drawing what you like, to designing with care for someone else.

So much imagination, kindness, and thoughtfulness in one room. This is what inclusive city-making can look like through children’s eyes.