Smart City Governance for Child-Friendly Cities. Impacts of Green and Blue Infrastructures on Children’s Independent Activities

The research investigates the features of blue/green infrastructure integrated in the built environment that affect children’s independent mobility and outdoor activities. Independent activities, including mobility, spatial appropriation, imaginative play and cooperative and social activities, are instrumental to children’s physical, cognitive, emotional and social development. Building on previous research, the paper introduces the notion of meaningful usefulness to signify the potential of public open spaces to enable multiple purposeful, valued activities. The research aims to structure a synthetic index of usefulness and the Practices of children in open urban spaces (POCUS), an assessment tool which addresses the potential of public open spaces incorporating blue/green infrastructure to enable children’s functional, recreational and social activities. This research fills a void in the literature, by addressing two issues: i) the complex pattern of activities by means of which children engage with the material and social environment; ii) the social impact of affordances incorporated in blue/green infrastructure, in terms of children’s well-being, agency and right to the city. The assessment tool and its embodied methodological framework support the design of trans-scalar mosaics of natural spaces, integrating hydrological function, biodiversity, and usable, safe, stimulating public spaces. Consequently, this research contributes to governance processes within the smart city paradigm, by supporting policies and urban planning practices which increase inclusivity and hyper-diversity within sustainable communities.