A Study on the Site Selection of Children's Playgrounds by Local Governments and the Ergonomics of Playground Equipment: The Case of Sarıyer District

With the rapidly growing populations of metropolitan cities and increasing urbanization rates in our country, it has become increasingly difficult for children, in particular, to find natural play areas within urban environments. This situation has created a need for specially designed playgrounds that contribute to children's psychological and physical development.

Meeting this need and making cities more child-friendly largely depend on the importance local governments place on providing suitable living and recreational spaces for children. In this context, Türkiye, which has a significantly higher proportion of young people and children compared to many European countries, and Istanbul, the country's most populous city, stand out.

Sarıyer, the district where our university is located, has a larger population than many European cities. With several universities situated within its boundaries, the district also has a relatively high proportion of young residents.

In this context, the present study aims to evaluate playgrounds developed by local governments in different neighborhoods of Sarıyer district in terms of ergonomics, materials used, contributions to children's psychological and physical development, and site selection criteria.

Scientific Research Project (BAP), Project No. 2024/1