Abstract
This study proposes a theoretical and methodological framework for evaluating the architectural affordances of nature-based experiences in early learning environments by foregrounding how the design of space can activate ecological empathy, biocentric agency, and multispecies kinship. This critical study interrogates the role of architectural design in mediating early childhood experiences and encounters with nonhuman existences co-living within the spatial politics of the city. Urban preschools are often outlying in urban planning discourses that offer fertile ground for cultivating intimate, embodied, and sustained relationships between children and the more-than-human world. Yet proximity alone does not ensure ecological attunement. Drawing from theories of biophilic design, spatial syntax, and psychological engagement within pedagogy, the framework introduces a set of input-output variables that translate spatial conditions into relational values. Input variables include metrics of accessibility, duration, and intensity of interaction with nature; output variables assess the perceived ‘naturalness’ of the space using a hybrid model of space/nature syntax analysis and biophilic design scoring. By quantifying the invisible of combination of the experiential, emotional, and ecological value, this research advocates for a recalibration of architectural priorities toward environments that nourish cohabitation, not control in urban preschools. To ground this theory in practice, six site studies across two cities were examined to assess levels of naturalness and children’s exposure to nature-based experiences by offering empirical insight into how such engagements can inform a holistic pedagogical approach and deepen environmental stewardship from early life.
Presenters
Farhana Mohammed IsaStudent, PhD in Architecture, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow City, United Kingdom
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
2026 Special Focus—Unseen Unsustainability: Addressing Hidden Risks to Long-Term Wellbeing for All
KEYWORDS
Nature-Based Experiences, Participatory Design, Space/Nature Syntax, Urban Preschool, Ecology, Biophilic
