Topographies to Play: How Space Generates Thinking

In the Reggio Emilia approach, space is not a passive backdrop where activities simply unfold—it is an active agent in the learning process: the “third teacher.” This perspective radically transforms how we conceive the architecture of childhood environments. As an architect, I see how every spatial decision shapes children’s cognitive, emotional, and relational possibilities. Designing educational spaces, then, becomes a pedagogical act, not just a functional one.

Here, we propose a powerful idea: space doesn’t just contain play—it generates it. Spatial decisions have the power to invite, limit, or expand thought.

The Topography of Play: Looking Beyond the Classroom

We use the term “topography” as a living metaphor: we imagine the classroom as a landscape—one with contours, pathways, boundaries, textures, and vanishing points. Instead of viewing the classroom as a static room, we understand it as a dynamic ecosystem, rich in cognitive potential.

The topography of play refers to how these spatial characteristics influence how children move, explore, connect, and think. A slope, a curve, a hidden nook can spark play, inquiry, or collaboration.

Spatial Components that Shape Thinking

Height and Scale

Children perceive space at a very different scale than adults. A low shelf might become a meeting point; a tall table can turn into a secret hideout with just a draped cloth. Varied heights allow children to explore from different perspectives, enriching their visual and spatial thinking.

Spaces that invite climbing, peeking from above, or hiding away offer experiences of autonomy and body awareness—essential building blocks in the development of thought.

Light and Shadow

Natural light—highly valued in Reggio Emilia—not only beautifies a space; it stimulates it. Shadows, reflections, and the shifting light throughout the day invite wonder and exploration. A single beam of light can become the spark for an inquiry into time, color, or shape.

Pathways and Fluid Movement

Children should be able to move freely between learning invitations. Soft boundaries—like curtains, open shelves, or area rugs—define spaces without enclosing them. Circular paths that allow a return to the starting point promote autonomy and continuity in play.

Materiality and Texture

The texture of the floor, the walls, and available materials—all speak. Sitting on a rug feels different from sitting on wood. Touching a rough wall offers a different sensory experience than a smooth one. These subtle differences awaken the senses and stimulate sensory thinking.

Open-ended materials (wood, fabric, metal, cardboard) encourage symbolic play and free experimentation. In this way, the environment becomes a language.

Emptiness as Opportunity

Empty space is space waiting to be imagined. In contrast to environments overflowing with toys and color, empty space allows children to invent, propose, and create. An empty corner can become a house, a cave, or an art gallery.

Environments that Inspire Thought

Imagine a space with a gentle ramp, a mirror at the far end, a translucent curtain dancing in the breeze, and a basket of mixed materials. This is not a “prepared activity”—it is an invitation to play, to engage the senses, and to create spontaneous narratives.

A child might use the ramp to roll objects, the mirror to observe their body, and the curtain as a hiding spot. Thought emerges through the body in motion. The space, then, provokes.

Designing with a Pedagogical Lens

Designing spaces for childhood is an act of listening. Listening to what the child needs, seeks, or might imagine. It requires humility, observation, and sensitivity.

As both an architect and educator, I believe we must stop thinking of classrooms as sealed boxes and start seeing them as living landscapes. Spaces that breathe. That change with time and with people. Where play doesn’t happen in spite of the space—but because of it.

In the pedagogy of wonder, space is always the first message.

If you're looking for Reggio Emilia–inspired resources to enrich learning at home or in the classroom, visit my TpT store, where you’ll find materials thoughtfully designed to support this approach.