In April 2024, the Hartree project team hosted a workshop with architecture students from the University of Cambridge to discuss our emerging masterplan, with a special focus on the Children and Young People's Strategy. Informed by the UN Rights of a Child, The Children and Young People’s Strategy is a tool that aims to embed child-friendly placemaking principles into the design of the masterplan for Hartree. The strategy will accompany the planning application and influence the emerging design of the masterplan to ensure that Hartree is a safe and inclusive place that caters to the needs of children and young people. The session saw the participation of 10 master's students who actively contributed to the discussions.
Following a presentation on the masterplan and the development of the Children and Young People’s Strategy, students participated in collaborative tasks in small groups, each focusing on a key feature of the strategy including “Play," "Safety” “Inclusivity," "Access to Nature” and “Active Mobility." They worked on identifying measurable objectives for each theme to inform the masterplan development. The session concluded with each group presenting their proposed targets, with feedback recorded for future reference.
Key feedback from the session included recommendations for inclusive urban furniture and climbable street structures, versatile public spaces, and accessible play areas. Students also emphasised the importance of safety features like child-friendly signage, wider pavements, and pollution-absorbing plants along busy roads. Additionally, they highlighted the need for natural elements in urban design, such as treehouses, forest schools, and water features.
The feedback from the students has provided us with a robust foundation to refine and implement our Children and Young People's Strategy.