A spatial assessment on children shelters

Scientific data highlights the importance of the physical characteristics of children's living spaces for their personal and social development. Children Shelters offer an exceptional social and physical environment for both staff and children. This study identifies spatial issues in designing Children Shelters and poses research questions about the physical characteristics, plans, and usage of indoor and outdoor spaces at the Campus of Child Houses, where children under institutional care live. The built environment of Children Shelters in Turkey shapes and is shaped by the users' perceptions. This interaction between space and perception is examined in detail. The study also explores the children's connection to these spaces, their sense of belonging, spatial perceptions, and needs. The thesis first develops a spatial spectrum of the historical formation of Children Shelters in Turkey, analyzing the current state of these environments and presenting findings on children's concerns about safety and belonging. Second, the thesis provides an empirical study under the shadow of bureaucratic and ethical concerns. It then presents an empirical study conducted at the Campus of Child Houses in Izmir, Turkey, using a mixed-method approach combining qualitative and quantitative data. Children and staff participated in the research, and the findings are evaluated to establish a critical foundation for future studies on Children Shelters. With its scientific touch on the academically rarely-cared built environment, this study aims to identify potential changes in the existing Campus of Child Houses for the benefit of children and to assist in decision-making for future child house campuses.