Translating Children's Drawings into Preventive Interior Design for Community Centers: A Mixed-Methods Research Manuscript

AimTo examine links between children's drawing-based psychological indicators and interior design specifications across common community-center spaces, and to culturally validate the resulting prescriptions with an expert panel.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional, controlled experimental study (2022-2024) in multiple Syrian governorates through local community organizations. Children's drawings were coded into psychological indicators and then translated into candidate spatial blocks (e.g., vertical, pyramid, curved ceiling geometries), surface finishes (walls, ceilings, floors), and color ranges for 11 space types (e.g., waiting, Montessori/activity rooms, diagnostic zones). A structured questionnaire was administered to academic experts in interior design/architecture to rate the suitability of these options for health promotion rather than treatment. Aggregated frequencies and inferential comparisons assessed convergence between child-derived prescriptions and expert judgments.ResultsAnalyses indicated coherent patterns linking specific indicators with preferences for gentle curvature in ceiling forms, warm natural finishes, and calming color palettes across several spaces; expert ratings largely converged with the design translations derived from drawings. The synthesis yielded an evidence-informed, culturally grounded schema for specifying interiors.ConclusionsThe study operationalizes a transparent pathway from children's symbolic indicators to interior design decisions for post-disaster community centers. Findings support practice by offering ready-to-apply form/finish/color options per space type, while highlighting the need for prospective validation and physiological measures in future work.