How Can Cities be Re-designed to Become More Inclusive of Teenage Girls?
- iyanadoyle
- Jan 27
- 5 min read
Updated: Mar 23
Status of Public Spaces: Who Uses Them and Who Benefits?
In many cities, particularly developing ones, areas, where spatial activation has been successful, are either sports or playground-focused, dominated by men and boys, or children and their caregivers. Most current public infrastructure primarily serves adults, children, men, and boys, leaving teenage girls as the most underserved demographic in urban areas. One researcher argues that “not building public spaces with the needs of teen girls in mind allows other groups of people, predominantly men who already take up 80% of public spaces, to continue to dominate them. Making teen girls feel ten times less secure in public spaces” (Hochman, 2022). There are insufficient public spaces designed to be inclusive of teenage girls. Utilizing a Design Justice approach in constructing new social programming in developing cities can allow for greater social cohesion and bridge the isolation many girls face.
Design Justice in Architecture
Marília Matoso defines Design Justice as “a branch of architecture and design focused on redesigning cities, products, services, and environments with historic reparations in mind. Design justice seeks to rethink design processes, focusing on people who are often marginalized by design and using collaborative and creative practices to address the deeper challenges that our communities face” (Matoso, 2022). In terms of age, teenagers are the most isolated in society globally (Lange, 2017). They are often given adult status but treated like children as they are too young and financially unstable to congregate in restaurants, bars, and clubs, but too old to linger at playgrounds. They lack areas where they can have public social interactions with friends and where they are not seen as a nuisance (Lange, 2021). In terms of gender, females are the most isolated in society globally. Historically, cities have been designed for men and boys by men (Matoso, 2022) and this has led to women and girls being excluded from social activities and forced, many times, to have their social interactions restricted to their homes or coffee shops (which are not always outdoors and unlike basketball courts, not always free) (Lange, 2021). New developments must be designed with teenage girls in mind and must include women and girls in conversations about public spaces that they can feel comfortable in.
Examples of How Public Spaces Are Currently Being Used
In many cities and neighborhoods, public recreational spaces are often limited to football fields or basketball courts. These spaces are usually either entirely vacant or filled with groups of boys or men. Rarely will you ever see groups of girls and women occupying these spaces, which begs the question; where do teenage girls go to hang out in their city or neighbourhood? It's not that girls don't like basketball or football because this is far from the truth, many girls and women enjoy these sports. However, the way that these outdoor spaces are typically designed; usually in an open field with little to no wayfinding and sparse, uncomfortable, or non-existent seating, oftentimes with poor lighting and in low-traffic areas, these recreational spaces do not feel comfortable or safe enough for teenage girls. And the dominance of these football and basketball courts by men add to this feeling of discomfort. If you are curious, open Google Maps and search for "public parks near me" Take note of how many parks are bare-bones basketball or football courts. Notice the lack of variety?
I did this search myself for the island of Nassau, Bahamas, and constantly saw basketball and football courts all over the island. Very little variety.
Designing With Girls In Mind
Research conducted by the design and collaboration initiative Make Space for Girls, as well as other female architects and designers, conducted a series of evidence-based research through community engagement to determine the types of public spaces girls appreciate most. The findings show that teenage girls want places where they can sit and chat in a circle facing each other, rather than the typical linear seating public benches seen in most areas (Walker and Clake, 2021). They also love swinging but expressed that public swings are usually ergonomically made for children, and not large enough to fit more than one person. A successful design would be one that includes seating that swings and is large enough to fit two or more people at once. This may be a series of large hammocks or a more elegant sculptural design like the one created by Tyrens architects and artist Kerstin Bergendal in collaboration with local teenage girls in Umeå, Sweden, called Frizon (shown above) (Walker and Clake, 2021). The seats are ergonomically right for teenage girls and can play music from cell phones (Karlsson, 2016). The ability to listen to your own music outdoors is crucial as teenagers sometimes want to be able to feel like they are at a festival or party outdoors without having to pay for a ticket (Lange, 2021).
Girls also expressed the need for opportunities to play sports that are not restricted to basketball, skateboarding, and football which are heavily male-dominated. Areas where they can feel safe. The examples girls gave included roller-skating rinks, rock-climbing walls, and monkey bars that were not too high that they may be used as a station for pull-ups by teenage boys, and not too low that they attract toddlers (Walker and Clake, 2021). Unique social interventions like Frizon that cater to teenage girls will cater to all other members of society by default. Based on the research, some examples of appropriate mixes include playground cafes, blowing cafes, and skating cafes (café suggesting that there is group seating available).
More Variety, More Inclusion
The design of public spaces plays a significant role in shaping who feels welcome and included in our cities. Teenage girls, as one of the most overlooked demographics, are often excluded from meaningful participation in public life due to environments that fail to meet their needs. By adopting a Design Justice approach and actively involving teenage girls in the creation of inclusive spaces, urban planners and designers can foster social equity and transform public spaces into hubs of safety, creativity, and connection for all. Designing with girls in mind isn’t just about meeting their needs—it’s about building communities that are more diverse, vibrant, and just.
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