From Social Spaces to Training Fields: Evolution of Design Theory of the Children’s Public Sphere in Hungary in the First Half of the Twentieth Century

ABSTRACT The first half of the twentieth century brought turbulent changes into the political and social scene of Hungary. Within a few decades the country shifted from being a partner in the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, to the short-lived Hungarian – and later Soviet – Republic and ultimately to the independent Kingdom of Hungary. These changes strongly affected the ideologies of all fields of life, including landscape architectural and educational theory and practice. This paper discusses evolving Hungarian ideas about designing places for children in the international context of education, by following the changing concepts of play spaces, from designing for physical education and health, to the idea of training soldiers for an approaching war. By tracing the intricate links between these and the history of Hungary in the early twentieth century, the paper argues that the interwoven nature of design theory and the socio-political context of children’s spaces is key in understanding their development.