The Design of Childhood

Lange has a perceptive eye for how spaces are designed—and for whom . . . [The Design of Childhood] is essential. * The Los Angeles Times * [Lange] might be the most influential design critic writing now. She brings her considerable powers, both as an observer of objects and spaces and as a writer of sentences, to The Design of Childhood. * The Los Angeles Review of Books * [Lange] shows that the desire to foster children’s creativity is not always served by the increased sophistication of playthings . . . [She] details the transformation of homes, schools, and cities to include space for play * The New Yorker * “[Her essays are] graceful and genre-expanding writing about public spaces for families, deftly using interviews, observations, and analysis to consider the architectural components that allow children and communities to thrive.” –Pulitzer Prize Committee Her writing seamlessly connects architecture to broader social issues like parenting, neurodiversity, and accessibility, making it enjoyable to a wide audience outside of our often solipsistic discipline * The Architect's Newspaper * A captivating design history. * Nature * Lange skillfully explores how the design of children's toys and built environments reflects evolving philosophies of child-rearing and development . . . Powerfully remind[s] readers of the importance of constructing spaces that make all people, including children, feel both welcomed and independent. * Publishers Weekly *