Urban Playspaces Conference

The conference organized by Studio-X Istanbul, the urban laboratory of Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation, invites everyone to look at Istanbul from the eyes of young children who make up more than one million of the city’s population. The event, which aims to raise public awareness about early childhood, during which 85% of the human brain develops, will bring together a large number of speakers from the world of arts, politics, architecture, and academia. Istanbul95 Urban Playspaces Conference will be free of charge and open to the public.

Speakers of the conference include world-renowned names such as 8-80 Cities founder and president of the World Urban Parks, Gil Penalosa; Alexandra Lange, a Curbed author, architecture, and design critic; Damon Rich, designer and founder of the Center for Urban Pedagogy; Elger Blitz, founder of Carve, that designed the playground at Zorlu Center; Tim Gill, the founder of Rethinking Childhood, and former director of Play England.

Istanbul95 Urban Playspaces Conference is held under the Istanbul95 program, which is technically and financially supported by the Bernard van Leer Foundation. The The Bernard van Leer Foundation aims to increase the opportunities of socially and economically disadvantaged children and is known for its early childhood work in more than 50 countries.

If you missed the Urban Playspaces Conference, we have collected all the wonderful case studies, panels, and discussions in this YouTube Playlist. Enjoy!

Conference website