Eselsohren. Journal of Art, Architecture and Urbanism. Vol. IV No. 1+2. Kid-Size. From Toy, to Table, to Town. Spielzeug, Möbel, Stadt

Eselsohren intends to be a home for the essay as a form of writing, venturing beyond received forms of academic writing in the history of architecture. Articles will appear in their original language (German/ French/ Italian) with and English summary, or in English. The journal Ezelsoren was founded in 2008 by Franziska Bollerey, in 2013 it moved from the Netherlands to Germany, housed in the AGT at Wuppertal University. In the title the change is almost imperceptible to the English reader: as Eselsohren.

An advanced view on the socialization of children was a central topic of the enlightenment movement (Rousseau, Fourier, Godin). Specific environments were designed and step-by-step elaborated in the course of the 19th century. From the beginning of the 20th century on, famous architects and artists such as Josef Hoffmann and later Lyonel Feininger, Hermann Finsterlin or Bruno Taut developed sets of architectural prototypes for children to play with. Extraordinary models were generated in the Bauhaus by Alma Siedhoff-Buscher. In the course of the 20th century, thorough attention was paid to the interior design of cribs and kindergartens and their environment. Outstanding architects and artists, such as van de Velde, Rietveld, Beuer, Schlemmer, Terragni, Bella, e.a. applied their imagination to the design of chairs, tables and other furniture suited for children.Covering the whole range from toy, to table, to town, also the design of playgrounds comes into focus. here remarkable examples from amongst others Aldo van Eyck can be analyzed, representing an extraordinary quality.