Design youth center in Adama

Statement of the problem

Youth in a country is the most potential human resource. They should be given the appropriate
space and opportunity to exercise their talents and knowledge in every sector of life starting from
art, creativity, sports, technology and entertainment.

Out of all the environments, the out-of-school time is where there is a huge gap to be filled.
Providing a youth development center where the youth can develop themselves in academicals,
social & recreational will be a right solution for the community of the growth.

Insufficient consideration of the diverse needs and interests of youth in the design and
programming of youth centers, leading to low participation and engagement (Manning et al.,
2017)

Currently the government provided a youth center in inner city zone and Woreda level. Yet this is
not enough. Because relatively taking the number of facilities is so much less than the number of
young people living and the facilities facing challenges in providing adequate programs for the
needs of youth.

General objective

To investigate and create a safe and welcoming space that will allow young people to gather,
learn, and interact with the design that focus on accessibility, inclusivity, and functionality.

Research objective

1. To investigate the needs and interests of youth in youth center, in order to create space
that takes these considerations into account.
2. To evaluate youth center's present programming, and identify areas for improvement.
3. To design research-based youth center that focus on particular goals associated with the
development of positive youth.
Research question

1. What are the needs and interests of youth in youth center in order to give them a suitable
environment?
2. What are existing situations of the youth centers?
3. What are the key architectural design strategies and principles that can be utilized to
create a youth center?
Methodology

Techniques of collecting data in the form of literature studies that have a relationship with the
title and themes discussed in the research to strengthen the facts naturally, field observation
(survey), conducted by observation and data collection directly on site by knowing, and feeling
the atmosphere and discussion with peoples to open minds and add ideas to design and determine
what external programs will be created.

Data collection methods

1. Qualitative data

 Case studies / local and international

 Discussions with professionals
 Using references and guides on how to design for youth
 Interview - Youth center users - Professionals - Families
 Questioners

2. Quantitative data Statistical data’s from Concerning bodies like

 Governmental bodies
 None governmental bodies

3. Primary and secondary data collection methods

  Conduct a review of literatures on youth center planning process and programmatic
arrangements
 Primary research on selected youth centers

Scope of study

The study focuses on architecture’s ability to change human behavior and interaction with each
other. it covers architecture’s spatial qualities and the situations that it can embody and will
develop an architectural solution to the creation of a comprehensive design and programming
plan for a youth center that meets the needs and interests of young people to learn and grow in
Adama, Ethiopia.

Background of the study

Adama is a city located in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia, with a population of estimates over
456,000 people. The city has a large youth population.

To address these challenges, there is a need for a comprehensive youth center in the Adama city
that offers a secure and encouraging environment for youth to grow and learn.

The Youth Center offers organized instructional programs for physical activities such as dance,
yoga, and martial arts and for academic and arts programs such as science, crafts, and theater. It
also offers opportunities for unstructured activities such as game playing, socializing, club
meetings, and outdoor play. (https://www.wbdg.org/building-types/community-services/youth-
centers)

These activities play a great role in providing youth with diverse social and leisurely experience,
as well as a place where they can freely learn about themselves and others. In addition to serving
as an alternative and safe place where they can escape their daily routine of home and school, it
can help immensely in building their skill, confidence and general competence.

Christopher Alexander argues that in a society which emphasizes teaching, children and students
and adults become passive and unable to think or act for themselves. Creative, active individuals
can only grow in a society which emphasizes learning instead of teaching. (A Pattern Language:
Towns-Buildings-Construction, 1977, P.100)
However, it’s not the fault of the young people since they need guidance especially at their early
ages and a platform which empowers them to be what they want to be, so creating this platform
should also be the major plan of the country, since investing on today’s generation is the best
way of determining the future Ethiopia.

Operational Definitions

Youth

It is difficult to get a single definition of the term youth. Depending on the level of social and
economic development, for instance various communities have maintained different views and
outlooks about youth. Some scholars define it based on age ranges while others relate it with
biological growth’ (FGAE, n.d.).

For the sake of this study, the term youth refer individuals who are in the age range of 15-29
(Ethiopia National Youth Policy, 2004).

Youth center

youth centers mean ‘an institution that is established with a designated purpose of providing
recreational and social services to youth, a place that opens up opportunities for the development
of their physical, social, emotional, and mental being, as well as a prospect for leadership,
companionship, and recreation’ (MoWCYA & UNICEF, 2011).

Youth center-is often called youth club, is place where young people can meet. It is social and
recreational center intended primarily for use by youth as well as environment to promote youth
physical, social, emotional, intellectual development, peer, and leadership and recreational place
for youth (Ministry of Youth and Sport Youth Center Service Standard, 2010)
Literature review

Youth development is: “...the ongoing growth process in which all youth are engaged in
attempting to meet their basic personal and social needs to be safe, feel cared for, be valued, be
useful, and be spiritually grounded, and to build skills and competencies that allow them to
function and contribute in their daily lives.” (http://cyd.aed.org/whatis.html, Pittman, 1993, p. 8.)

As suggested by the opening quotation, youth are valuable resources to invest in and not
problems to be solved Adolescents want to develop their capacities, but they need opportunities
and appropriate adult involvement and guidance to do so

Youth Centers are facilities designed to provide a safe, informal and supervised environment for
young people. They accommodate unstructured social interaction among different age groups
and provide the space to offer more structured activities. By giving youth the opportunity to take
part in recreational and cultural activities or vocational counseling, these centers help them
develop their physical, social, emotional, and cognitive abilities and to experience achievement,
enjoyment, friendship, and recognition. (Clara Ott, 2020)

An important aspect to ensure the success of the facility is the space itself. While meeting the
durability requirements for a public facility, the furnishings, colors, finishes and surfaces in
Youth Centers need to promote a sense of ownership and freedom of expression, and have a
warm, homelike quality that encourages creative development.

The Physical Space & Location

Location of a center can be a major factor in terms of its use and popularity. While it may not
make financial sense to sacrifice a free or inexpensive site in order to get an ideally suited one,
we should consider the following when searching for a location:

 Proximity to schools, downtown areas, and transportation so there's easy access.

 Having some outdoor space, ideally with fields or other desirable activity spaces.
 Visibility in the community. We want to find a balance so the space feels private for
participants, but public enough so the larger community knows of its existence.

Interior space matters. It can take many forms; it has to be comfortable with the ability to adapt
for different uses (from concerts to art). we have also to consider supervision in the space.
Having many smaller spaces can make it harder to ensure safety. It's best to have a large space
you need to divide vs. a collection of small spaces you need to open up. Most importantly, don't
over-plan the space. Painting the walls and deciding how to arrange furniture is one of the easiest
ways to help young people to take ownership of a youth center.

Program Offerings & Services

Unstructured, drop-in time should be at the heart of a youth center, but programming is also an
important aspect of any center. Much like the interior space of the center, programming should
be youth-driven and serve their needs and wants. See the "Youth Leadership" and the "Additional
Resources" sections for ideas on how to partner with youth to develop programming.

Building attributes

A. Space Types and Building Organization

A Youth Center serves the dual purpose of accommodating unstructured social interaction among
different age groups and providing instructional classes all in a safe, supervised environment.
This drives the facility layout and functional space adjacencies.

Sample adjacency diagram for a youth center.

Developed by DMJM Design, Arlington, VA
Typical Youth Center activity spaces include the following:

 Control desk/check-in
 Commons/game room
 Snack bar
 Activity rooms/classrooms
 Multipurpose room/gymnasium
 Computer room
 Teen room and
 Outdoor activity areas.
 Typical Youth Center support spaces include the following:
 Administrative office space
 Toilets and janitor facilities
 Kitchen and
 Mechanical/electrical/communications space.

It is particularly effective to organize the activity spaces around the Commons-making it the
heart of the program area around which the other program spaces revolve. The Commons area is
the principal social gathering point and fulfills many of the social interaction goals of the facility.
It usually includes subareas such as a game area, an eating area (adjacent to the snack bar), a
television (TV) viewing area, and general gathering/conversation spaces. These subareas should
accommodate social units of 12 to 15 youth gathering in pockets.

The Commons should naturally "grow" out of the lobby, past the control desk. The control desk
should have visual control over the entire Commons and any entrances to other spaces. The
entrances to the other activity spaces should be well defined and act as portals to those areas.

The snack bar can range from self-service vending stations to a full-service hot bar with an
adjacent teaching kitchen that also serves an instructional function. It should be adjacent to an
eating area in the Commons.

The activity rooms can range from small classroom spaces to a full-sized gymnasium, depending
on facility mission, programs offered, and available budget. Typically, at least two activity rooms
should be provided: one configured for more academic or arts and crafts instruction and one
configured for physical activities.

If mission and budget allow for a large activity room (or multipurpose room), design the room to
meet high school or college standards for a gymnasium to provide maximum utility and
flexibility. Provide either a separate, exterior entrance or an entrance directly off the lobby into
the gymnasium. This facilitates access to this room for after-hours sporting events when the rest
of the facility is closed.

A computer room provides the youth with supervised computer and Internet access for recreation
and homework purposes.

The teen room provides a separate space for older youth to socialize independently from the rest
of the facility. It provides functions similar to those of the Commons area and should include
space for games, TV watching, and conversation. Ideally, the teen room should feel private but
maintain a sense of connection to the rest of the facility.

Youth Center Control Desk, Naval Station Mayport, FL.

Photo by Mayport MWR Department

Arts-and-crafts-style Activity Room, Naval Station Mayport.

Photo by Mayport MWR Department
B. Design Considerations

Key design goals and considerations for Youth Centers include the following:

Create a homelike environment

While meeting the durability requirements for a public facility, the finishes, furnishings, fixtures,
and equipment in Youth Centers should be comfortable and have a homelike quality:

 Provide ample natural light

 Provide a sense of welcome and arrival at the entrance, lobby, and control desk
 Use residential-style doors and windows
 Use indirect lighting as main ambient lighting, and
 Avoid institutional, unnatural finishes, textures, and colors.

Encourage creativity

Part of the facility's mission is to encourage creative development. The project development
process and final design can help accomplish this in several ways:

Carefully consider interior colors and textures. Design the Youth Center to communicate a sense
of fun, but use restraint (e.g., neutral tones for backgrounds and ceilings, with warm colors for
accents). Consider wall murals in some common areas.

Particularly for the teen room, consider guiding a teen focus group to select an interior color
scheme

Provide space and consider various techniques to display and celebrate youth artwork, and

Design display areas to be easily changed and updated, minimize permanent graphics.

Encourage autonomy

Youth centers are not schools. While supervision must be maintained at all times, the design
should accommodate autonomy in the unstructured activity areas. The youth patrons should have
independent access to the following:

 Snack bar and toilets

 Games, computers, and TV
  Friends and companions, and
 Quiet space for solitude.

Include appropriate space for staff

Provide space to assist staff in developing and maintaining the center's programs and business.
Outside of normal day-to-day operations, staff must be able to accomplish the following:

 Think and plan

 Meet and communicate
 Host visitors, and
 Store equipment and records.

Maintain a safe and healthy environment

Design the facility to accommodate equipment and operational strategies to both protect the
youth and maintain a healthy environment. Consider the following critical elements:

 Prevent unauthorized access by potentially dangerous personnel

 Provide visual access to all spaces to monitor potential child abuse situations
 Provide easily-cleaned finishes
 Use non-toxic building materials and improved maintenance practices
 Ensure good indoor air quality and abundant natural light, and
 Ensure that equipment, furnishings, and finishes do not contain asbestos or lead.

(https://www.wbdg.org/building-types/community-services/youth-centers)