Suggested age: 8+
Gehl studio developed the ‘Twelve Quality Criteria’ to research how public spaces are experienced by their users. It is structured around three themes: protection, comfort and enjoyment. Participants survey the public space selected, assessing whether it lives up to the criteria. For every criterion, participants give a score: happy, neutral or sad face.
The survey could be adapted for children of different ages. For example, when conducted with younger children, relevant vocabulary should be used, sentences should be kept short and clear, and images may be incorporated to make the survey more engaging.
The ‘Twelve quality criteria’ can help address the following questions:
- What are the different features of a public space that are protective, comfortable and enjoyable for its users?
- What sections of the space can be improved?
- What are the most important features of the space for users?