“Avles Simperilipsis” is a pedagogical program with architectural interventions aiming to raise the school community’s awareness of equality and inclusion, focusing on gender, through the study of the schoolyard. A schoolyard is a place, where exclusion phenomena based on gender stereotypes and hierarchical structures are often observed. Therefore, the goal is to approach equality by co-creating sustainable and beautiful yards that respond to a greater diversity of children’s needs and desires.
National
Greece
MUNICIPALITY OF ATHENS, MUNICIPALITY OF TRIKALA, MUNICIPALITY OF HERAKLION, CRETE, MUNICIPALITY OF NEA PHILADELPHIA
Mainly urban
It refers to a physical transformation of the built environment (hard investment)
No
No
Yes
As a representative of an organisation
Name of the organisation(s): URBANA AMKE Type of organisation: Non-profit organisation First name of representative: Eva Last name of representative: Grigoriadou Gender: Female Nationality: Greece Function: Director Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: Platonos 14, Halandrion Town: Athens Postal code: 152 34 Country: Greece Direct Tel:+30 693 653 9600 E-mail:info@urbana.gr Website:https://urbana.gr/
URL:https://www.facebook.com/urbanalab Social media handle and associated hashtag(s): urbana lab #inclusion #participation #feminism #urbanplanning #urbanalab #ΑυλέςΣυμπερίληψης #ΙnclusiveSchoolyards
URL:https://www.instagram.com/urbana_lab/ Social media handle and associated hashtag(s): urbana_lab #inclusion #participation #feminism #urbanplanning #urbanalab #urbanalab #architecture #urbanism #equality #genderequality #education #schoolyard #kids
URL:https://www.linkedin.com/company/82753112/admin/ Social media handle and associated hashtag(s): urbana #inclusion #participation #feminism #urbanplanning #urbanalab #school #primaryschool #educationalequity #educationalprograms #inclusiveschoolyards #Inclusiveschoolyards
URL:https://twitter.com/Urbana_lab Social media handle and associated hashtag(s): urbana_lab #inclusion #participation #feminism #urbanplanning #urbanalab #inclusiveschoolyards #Inclusiveschoolyards #InclusiveSchoolyards
“Avles Simperilipsis” (Inclusive Schoolyards) is a pedagogical program with architectural interventions aiming to raise the school community’s awareness of equality and inclusion, focusing on gender, through the study of the schoolyard. Α schoolyard is the first public space a child comes in contact. However, exclusion phenomena based on gender stereotypes and hierarchical structures are often observed there. In Greece, most of the primary school yards are “football-centric” since almost 70% of their total space is dedicated to football. Therefore, children keen to play football (usually boys) occupy the greatest part of the yard, while those who desire a less tense activity (usually girls) or children with disabilities get displaced to the periphery.
“Avles Simperilipsis'' seeks to support primary school communities to observe and realise the dynamics of the yard and redefine its role using participatory methods and tools. In the academic year 2021-22, URBANA implemented the educational part of the program in 4 primary and 1 nursery school around Greece. The teachers were trained to see the space through a “gender lens” and support their students to do the same via participatory educational activities. During the last part of this phase, the students elaborated comprehensive architectural proposals (via collages, sketches, 3d models, etc.) for their schoolyards to respond to a greater diversity of their needs and desires.
After the end of the educational phase, we received the necessary funds to implement the proposed architectural interventions in the 93rd Primary School of Athens and the 33rd Primary School of Trikala. The concept is to create equal spaces for more dynamic (i.e. climbing, balance, etc.) and less tense activities (i.e. drawing, discussing, etc.) so that football does not monopolise the space. We aim to approach equality by co-creating sustainable, beautiful, inclusive, and accessible yards that provide diverse options for play to all children.
Inclusion
Participation
Gender
Education
Equality
The goal of this initiative is to create equal spaces for dynamic and moderate activities, in order to achieve gender equality in the schoolyards while taking care of the environment. So, one of our primary concerns is to create not only socially, but also environmentally sustainable spaces, by using affordable and eco-friendly materials. The architectural interventions in the 93rd Primary School of Athens and the 33rd Primary School of Trikala showcase this mindset.
Specifically, in the 93rd Primary School of Athens, we replaced the improper for the environment and dangerous for the children floorings with new and more creative ones, which we plan to paint together with the children. Moreover, in the 93rd Primary School of Athens, we added sunshades, made of cloth, which improved the microclimate of the schoolyard, as the school is situated on a hill exposed to extreme weather conditions (sun-heat in the summer, wind-heavy rain in the winter).
In the 33rd Primary School of Trikala on the other hand, we made good use of the already existing shade from the trees by building curved benches around the trees for the children to rest and discuss. The benches are constructed in a way (with height graduation) to be used for balance games as well. Also, in the 93rd Primary School of Athens, we added elements for balance and symbolic games, and elements for the children to rest, all made of wood. Finally, in both schools, we placed climbing walls and blackboards responding to the students' requests.
“Avles Simperilipsis” started as a pilot, so the budget for these architectural interventions was very limited. Hence, we would say that the cases of the 93rd Primary School of Athens and the 33rd Primary School of Trikala can be an example of how we can respond to the children’s needs, as they arose through the participatory research, battle gender inequalities while taking care of the environment, all with very few resources.
During the transdisciplinary research part of our initiative, we combined methodological tools from architecture and social sciences, such as participatory tools, collages, 3d models, interviews, questionnaires, participant observation etc. These helped us understand what the schoolyards “mean” to the students and the teachers and design them in a way that fosters a sense of belonging. Also, our anthropological approach assisted us to identify cultural diversity and socio-economical inequalities within the schoolyard, especially in the 93rd Primary School of Athens, located in Neos Kosmos, a densely populated area with an important migrant presence, and to incorporate this knowledge in the design. Furthermore, the research showed that the children were using some elements of the existing schoolyards, in both schools, for symbolic games. Therefore, we preserved those elements in the new design, so the interventions are a natural continuation in favour of their symbolic games and do not disrupt their imagination. Finally, in both schools, the children will paint floor games with an artist, which will be a meaningful experience for everyone.
The result was aesthetically pleasing and colourful schoolyards that respond to a greater variety of the school communities’ needs and desires. An example of this is the positive feedback we received from the school community of the 93rd Primary School of Athens. Specifically, the school director stated: “The schoolyard has gained educational value. It’s no longer just an empty space.”, while the teachers said that the new interventions inspired them to support the children in using the schoolyard in more creative ways. The students, on the other hand, are excited about the new changes and are now using the new elements of the schoolyard, equally. We believe that our innovative methodology can be repeated in other cases, which will result in aesthetically pleasing, high-quality and meaningful schoolyards.
Participation and gender perspective are essential if we want to achieve equality and inclusion in the school environment.
That is why teachers and students actively participate and co-create every step of the program “Avles Simperilipsis” (Ιnclusive Schoolyards). From sharing their thoughts and feelings regarding their schoolyards to carrying out participatory research and participating in the interventions by painting floor games. Including the school community in every part of the process and co-creating the schoolyards is a big part of the project’s philosophy.
The gender perspective is another essential variable for achieving the goals of the initiative. A “gender lens” illuminates not only gender exclusion phenomena but also the needs of other under-represented groups, such as children with disabilities, children with migrant backgrounds etc.
The project results so far show that children who used to be displaced in the periphery of the yard, mostly girls, now make use of the whole redesigned part of the schoolyard. Specifically, in the 93rd Primary School of Athens, children who were less vocal during the first phase of the program, after the interventions commented on how much they liked the new balance beam or the relaxing spots. It is important to know that through this initiative the children reclaimed their schoolyard, but as more inclusive, accessible, and fun this time, and regained a sense of belonging.
“Avles Simperilipsis” is a program based on participation and imbued with the values of co-creation, collaboration, and collective decision-making. For the interventions to be socially sustainable, last long, and have a real impact on the beneficiaries’ everyday lives, they have to derive from the school communities’ participation.
Specifically, the teachers were trained to see the space through a “gender lens” and support their students to do the same via innovative educational activities. During the program, they shared their thoughts regarding what the schoolyard “means” for each one of them, which we took into account for the implementation of the initiative. Moreover, they shared their previous knowledge and experience on educational programs and co-created the educational activities for the students. In addition, they raised the children’s awareness of gender stereotypes and the exclusion phenomena that accompany them and highlighted the diverse uses of the schoolyard, always trying to view things from the students’ perspective. Their excitement, dedication, and ideas inspired us and helped us at every step.
The students, on the other hand, carried out participatory research, recording their classmates’ needs regarding the schoolyard. From their research, it appeared that the lack of compound spaces concerns them the most, as tig and improvised football take over most of the space. Consequently, they elaborated comprehensive architectural proposals (via collages, sketches, 3d models, etc.) for their schoolyards, suggesting what needs to be changed, valuing equity and inclusiveness. They suggested outdoor games, a climbing frame, spaces for relaxing, a sunshade, and more plants, among other things, having in mind for the supplies to be affordable and eco-friendly, which we followed through in both schools. Finally, the feedback we receive from the school communities is vital for the co-creation of the next steps, as this project is an ongoing process.
The initiative is approved by the Institute of Educational Policy (IEP) of the Hellenic Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs, and it has received funding for the educational part from the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports. Additionally, “Equal Saree”, a feminist architectural cooperative from Barcelona, had an advisory role and supported us in the implementation of the educational part. The Parent-Teacher Associations of the 93rd Primary School of Athens and the 33rd Primary School of Trikala, as well as the local communities also supported the project throughout its course. “Amalia Stratou” architectural office contributed with their architectural experience and building knowledge. Taking into consideration the results of the participatory research, together we created beautiful architectural designs with the overriding concern to use affordable and eco-friendly materials. The architectural interventions in the 33rd Primary School of Trikala were implemented with funds from the Municipality of Trikala as a pilot, in order to incorporate the gender perspective in urban planning. Finally, the architectural interventions in the 93rd Primary School of Athens are implemented with funds from the “Qualco Foundation”.
“Avles Simperilipsis” is a transdisciplinary project involving architects, educators, engineers, social scientists, and artists. Participatory and feminist urban planning, gender studies, social theory, anthropological approaches, contemporary educational methods, technology, and art are reflected in the design and implementation of the initiative. Every field was complimentary to another and added extra value to the project. Specifically, the architects provided the participatory methods and tools for the educational part as well as the architectural designs for the architectural part, making sure that the interventions will be beautiful, inclusive, and sustainable. Together with the social scientists presented the theories about space and gender and prepared the questionnaires for the students and the teachers. The social scientists offered an anthropological perspective, taking into consideration the cultural differences and social inequalities within the school communities. At the same time, they provided the method of participant observation and interviewed the students and teachers giving a better understanding of the school communities’ points of view. The educators made sure that the program was child-friendly and co-created the educational activities for the students. Moreover, they raised the children’s awareness of gender stereotypes and the exclusion phenomena that accompany them and highlighted the diverse uses of the schoolyard. The engineers along with the workers provided the technical know-how, making sure that the new schoolyards will be accessible and safe for all the children. Finally, the artists in both schools will help the children to appropriate the interventions in a creative, artistic, and fun way.
Some mainstream actions in the field recognise the school as a major place where gender inequalities are (re)produced, although without taking into account the role of spatial design. Other architectural practices, on the other hand, have showcased how students use different parts of the schoolyard, which results in inequalities but have not considered gender as an important factor in the production of these inequalities. The majority of these actions are based on the perceptions and biases of the people who implement them, without taking into consideration the experiences of students or promoting the teachers’ participation. Therefore, the spatial dimension and the school community participation are still aspects that are often overlooked when attempting to achieve gender equality in schools, especially in Greece.
“Avles Simperilipsis” is the first educational program in Greece with architectural interventions aiming to raise the school community’s awareness of equality and inclusion, focusing on gender, through the study of the schoolyard. This initiative brings for the first time a methodology for gender equality intervention in a recreational space such as the schoolyard, focusing on the entire school community’s participation, which depends on the processes of collaboration and co-creation.
The methodology of this initiative is designed to be applied to primary schoolyards, where children learn to position themselves in and interact with space for the first time. This differentiated spatial education that boys and girls receive is later reproduced in public spaces, which (re)produces gender hierarchies and exclusion phenomena, indicating how spatial design and the social construction of gender are intertwined. Therefore, the goal is to battle gender inequalities, by creating educational spaces that offer equal opportunities to everyone.
The methodology can be replicated as it is (using the same process, the same questionnaires etc.) in every primary school across different regions in the same country or even in different countries with minor adaptations. It is not intended to be a closed model but aims to offer reference tools which are meant to be easily expanded on, modified, and adapted to each specific case, in different sociocultural contexts.
Even though it was originally designed for primary schools, it can also be implemented in different age groups, such as infants (in nursery schools) and teenagers (in middle and high schools), which makes the participatory research results even more interesting. Therefore, the methodology of the program is open, flexible and has great replicability.
The idea of the methodology is based on the guide “El pati de l’escola en igualtat”, developed by Equal Saree (Barcelona). URBANA in collaboration with Equal Saree adjusted parts of the methodology and created new ones for the greek socio-cultural framework.
For the educational phase, we implemented 7 online workshops to train the teachers and support them in the implementation of the proposed educational and awareness-raising activities. At the same time, despite the pandemic, we visited some of the schools and conducted participant observation and interviews with the teachers and the students. In the field, we had the opportunity to discuss with them in person their beliefs and experiences at school.
Furthermore, the teachers completed questionnaires regarding how they perceive the role of the schoolyard in the educational process. In addition, they observed their schoolyards, recorded how children use them, and identified exclusion phenomena based on gender stereotypes. The students also completed questionnaires about what their schoolyards “mean” to them and performed a variety of educational activities, with our guidance and in collaboration with their teachers.
Specifically, the children drew their schoolyards the way they perceived them. Consequently, they carried out participatory research by recording their classmates’ needs and wishes. Then, they presented the results of the participatory research and explained to us the problems they spotted in their schoolyards. In the end, each school collectively created a 3D model with creative suggestions for architectural interventions taking into consideration everyones’ diverse needs.
Finally, for the second phase, we created architectural proposals for the 33rd Primary School of Trikala and the 93rd Primary School of Athens, in collaboration with the “Amalia Stratou” architectural office, based on the proposals of the children themselves.
The spatial design is not neutral. Spaces reflect the gender-related power relations that perforate our society. This applies to school spaces as well. Traditionally, feminine and masculine gender roles are reproduced in the schoolyards and exclusion phenomena based on gender stereotypes and hierarchical structures are often observed there. The main reasons for this are the lack of adequate design of schoolyards from the outset, the low involvement of the educational community in the design process of the school spaces, and the absence of gender equality as a factor in evaluating the use of the schoolyard.
So, “Avles Symperilipsis” seeks to support elementary school communities to understand the dynamics of the yard and redefine its management through the use of participatory methods and tools. By taking into consideration the particularities of each school and adjusting the methodology according to them, this initiative aims to approach equality by enhancing the spatial qualities of the yard that respond to a greater diversity of children’s needs and desires. Hence, by focusing on the local level, changing one school at a time, we can raise awareness of equality, inclusion and participation on a larger scale. After all, a schoolyard based on the principles of equality and co-existence can be the first step for a more profound change.
So far, we have completed the educational part of the program in 5 schools. Furthermore, we have elaborated architectural plans based on the children's proposals for 2 of the participant schools (93rd Primary School of Athens and 33rd Primary School of Trikala), and we have implemented parts of them (because of the limited funds so far) in both of them.
Especially for the 93rd PS of Athens, we have elaborated a complete architectural plan for the inclusive transformation of the whole schoolyard (attached below), and we are making efforts to ensure its funding. Until now, the transformation of one part of the schoolyard has generated a great impact on the school community. This makes us confident that the transformation of the whole schoolyard will have a huge impact on the school community itself, but also on the neighbourhood and even the whole community of schools and teachers in Greece that follow the project and are inspired by it. We are already in contact with schools around Greece (an indicative list of interested schools is attached below) who are very keen to participate in the following implementation phases of the project.
The project has a very strong awareness-raising character and up to this point, we receive high interest from teachers, parents, and researchers around Greece and internationally to learn more about it and become part of it. Thus, we are also planning several communication activities. We plan to film a mini-doc where teachers and students of the 93rd PS of Athens will share their experiences from the program and share it online. In addition, we are planning to produce publications for national and international journals and conferences to communicate our methods and learnings so far.
We wish New European Bauhaus to help us consolidate our project and guarantee its successful continuation by enabling us to become part of a greater network of same-minded initiatives around Europe.
