Growing In Place 2010

The restricted life of children is having an increasingly negative impact on their healthy development. Many children are not allowed to venture out alone or even with their friends as previous generations did. How can we plan and design a public realm where children find the physical and social stimulation necessary for healthy human development in consonance with the culture and ecology of the places where they live?

The aim of the symposium is to stimulate discussion about how planners and designers can meet the challenge of enhancing the wellbeing of urban families in North Carolina, across the nation, and the world. As cities grow and develop, opportunities to support family life in a healthy public realm should multiply. European design innovations such as “home zones” together with community participation processes and design guidelines will serve as triggers for discussions about how cities can grow in harmony with the needs of their citizens across the life span.