The Element of Surprise

Michelle Pratt, one of the organizers of the upcoming World Forum Foundation Working Forum on Design and Nature: Designing Inspiring and Effective Spaces for Children, offered this conclusion in her Exchange (November/December 2014) article, "The Element of Surprise in Environmental Design":  

"The outdoor environment has many places where elements of surprise can be incorporated and developed.  The trickling of water, that place to hide and snuggle into, items that blow in the wind, shadows that appear on the ground, the leaves that fall from a tree, these can all surprise.  Those ­spirited places satisfy children’s souls.  They possess a wholeness that makes the heart sing, the soul rejoice, the body feel safe and at rest.  It is the spirit of a place that makes it memorable, that expands our sense of possibility, and puts us in touch with what is most loving, creative, and human about ourselves.

"Elements of surprise are all around us; it’s not just about architecture and design, it is also about what we do and what we provide.  We are surrounded by natural resources — materials like stone, wood, metal — textured items to name a few.  It is about elements that appear to be heavy but are light, items that are soft but are hard.  It is in the planning of our environments; all we need to do is to work out how we ­incorporate these into daily centre life.  My challenge to you is to think and plan more carefully, reconsidering what it is like to see things from the 'eyes of the child.'"

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