CHILDREN’S THEATER AS A CHILDREN WELLNESS CENTER

• Main Author: Zahra Sembiring, Theresna
• Format: Final Project
• Language: Indonesia
• Subjects: Arsitektur
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/81412
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

Children's theater is an art form that is still developing in Indonesia—it has started to be embraced by the community, but it is not yet a commonly recognized form of art among the general public. This is because theater is not as popular as other art forms such as visual arts, dance, and music. The public is generally familiar with these arts, but not with theater itself, as evidenced by the lack of facilities that can support theater activities. In fact, theater is an art that can encompass all existing art forms, including music, dance, visual arts, literature, and so on. Besides being a platform for children to express themselves, theater can also be a means for children to heal from trauma they have experienced. Dunia Ajaib Kokomang—a children's theater community that uses theater as a form of therapy for children survivors of violence and other traumas—have a mission and vision that are in line with this purpose. Theater can not only facilitate traumatized children, but theater also has positive effects for children in general—boosting self-confidence, encouraging activity, and helping children to become more critical. However, until now, there has not been a building that can accommodate children's theater, especially in Indonesia. In Bandung City alone, there are only five theater buildings commonly used by theater artists, and these buildings are not intended for children's theater performances, so the existing children's theater performances can be considered less than ideal. This is truly regrettable because theater is an important aspect of children's character development. Therefore, a question arises—how can architecture provide a space for children to grow and develop as happy and healthy individuals both physically and mentally, and what role does architecture play in this? This question underpins the root of the issue regarding how architecture can accommodate the rights of children as outlined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child by UNICEF (United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund). Essentially, every child, regardless of their condition, has the right to receive the best quality education. This includes not only academic education but also non-academic education such as theater. Designing a children's theater as a children’s wellness center is one solution that an architect can offer to popularize the art of theater—especially children's theater—among the public and to make the theater a therapeutic space for children, whether they have experienced trauma or not. The theater is designed with a child-oriented approach and incorporates elements of nature that stimulate both fine and gross motor skills in children. Nature is an important factor in theater design for children, especially during practice sessions. Children who are close to nature generally have better sensitivity, allowing them to manage their emotions well. With good emotional management, children can perform well and confidently. These design aspects are expected to be an effective form of therapy for children. Essentially, a child is someone who is naturally happy. Happiness is the most important thing for a child, and when they do not feel that happiness, that is where the therapy is needed. Therefore, in the design of this children's theater, the concept of child-oriented design is used. This concept addresses how the design is oriented towards children, from anthropometry to landscape design in the environment. Ultimately, the best human being are those who know themselves and their creator, and are happy with their true selves. In this context, theater is one way for human—especially children—to know and understand their true selves. Through theater, a person will naturally search deeply for their true identity by managing their emotions to present them as an art performance. This emotional management can also be a form of healing for someone—especially a child—who has experienced trauma, and it can be a form of overall emotional development for the child. This process of self-discovery and healing ideally begins early because it is a long-term process. However, this means nothing if there is no space that can fully support and accommodate these aspects. The design of a children's theater as a children’s wellness center is hoped to support this process and popularize the art of theater to the general public.