A design-driven, participatory action research into the practices and challenges of teenage girls in public space by Latour

The Latour neighbourhood, located in Paramaribo-South, Suriname, is the focus of this master’s thesis. The neighbourhood has its own strengths and challenges. Among the challenges are daily crime, high unemployment, issues with loitering youth and homelessness, and the inadequate quality of public spaces. Public areas are scarce and often poorly maintained. Due to the current state of the neighbourhood, teenage girls prefer to exclude themselves from these spaces. Their absence from public life results in limited development in areas such as independence, citizenship, identity formation, and social skills. This study aims to explore how modifications to public spaces can prevent the exclusion of teenage girls in the Latour neighbourhood, ensuring that they feel safe and welcome in these areas. The goal is to enable these girls to freely walk, cycle, socialise, and spend time in public spaces, which are essential components of quality urban life. By working closely with a group of local teenage girls, the research identifies the main challenges and necessary interventions to enhance their sense of safety. The findings are translated into guidelines for the design of girl-friendly public spaces. Furthermore, the study investigates potential locations for new public spaces within the neighbourhood, identifying the so-called "boro pasi's" as promising sites. These are spaces within the community that, while not always officially public, have been uniquely appropriated by residents. Drawing on the research findings, this thesis proposes a "blueprint for quality public spaces— also for the teenage girls in Latour." The thesis concludes with design recommendations for the development of three boro pasi's and one street, considering the limited resources available for implementation.