By: Rosa María Torres Ríos
"A city that's good for children is a better city for everyone."
— Tonucci
This time, I want to share something special: the Pumas Spark (a group of 3 to 6-year-old girls and boys) have jumped into the world of Architecture. And while that might sound like a big and complicated topic, it’s actually been a beautiful chance to reconnect with what architecture is really about: creating meaningful spaces where form, function, and meaning all work together, with each other and with the people who live in them. Just like Vitruvius, a Roman architect and engineer from the 1st century BC, once said, architecture isn’t just about technique, it’s about humanity.
But then, how do we talk about architecture with young kids? How do we invite them to dive into an experience that connects them to space, to the city, and to their own ability to shape the world around them?
Over the past few weeks, the Pumas have been on a journey of discovery: they’ve looked at and read floor plans, spotted architectural elements in their Studios, explored different shapes by building polyhedrons, and created everything from towers and ships to houses and whole cities. And soon, they’ll start their very own architecture projects, with full freedom to dream, imagine, and build.
Behind every activity, there’s a bigger goal: for the Pumas to explore ideas like shape, size, texture, measurement, balance, teamwork, and even physics... but most importantly, to build on what they already know: designing, building, playing. That means learning through their bodies, through curiosity, and through what actually makes sense to them.
At one point, after talking about different inspirations and the cityscapes around them, one big question came up: Is architecture important in our city?
Their answers were as honest as they were insightful:
“It’s important because we need houses to live in.”
“Yes, because if people come from other countries, they need somewhere to stay.”
“So parks can be nice.”
“So we can cross streets and see all the buildings.”
One of the richest moments came when they worked together to build an imaginary city they called “Super Special City.” It had parks, streets, one-story houses, tall buildings, a fire station, schools, and shops. And when they finished, one child said: “It has everything we need as kids.” That sentence really stuck. Because it shows a deep awareness of the spaces they live in, and the ones they dream about.
So, here are the big questions:
Are our cities built with children in mind?
Do we really listen to their voices when building them?
Sadly, we know the answer is still “no.” That’s why opening up spaces like this one matters — it’s a way of caring, and a chance to change things.
The Pumas will keep exploring in the weeks ahead. In the meantime, I invite you to reflect on a few questions:
Is the architecture of the city a reflection of identity?
Do our cities invite us to connect, to play, to build community?
Do they let us live in them with dignity, safety, and freedom?
And finally, how is architecture in our life and home?
Maybe, just maybe, we’ll only be able to build truly human architecture when we start listening to children.
