Journal of the Korean Housing Association ISSN:2234-3571(Print) 2234-2257(Online) 한국주거학회논문집

Although the government has revised the child welfare act, institutionalized the establishment of local children's centers, and given financial support for them, there are a number of problems with respect to their operation. Specifically, one of main problems is their limited space. Diverse problems that go with the arrangement of limited space and usability have occurred, however there are only a few strategies to use limited space flexibly. This study assumed variability as one of the methods to solve spatial problems. As a basic research for the assumption, Analyzing the variable method and characteristics of domestic and foreign child-care facility guidelines was performed trying to take advantage of as a basic data in order to seek a variable scheme of local children centers’ indoor space. For this purpose, study analysed the methods and characteristics of variability centering on aspects related to variability which are environmental design elements required by local children's centers as suggested in previous studies. The results are as follows. First, the variability of space should be planned according to activity and time, and consider the methods of division, storage, and other facilities necessary. Second, methods of variability in space can be classified into creating areas and structures that are variable. Third, as a result of analysing the environmental design elements required by local children's centers, this study discovered the following characteristics: multi-purpose usability through a combination of variable devices, transition through a variable space medium and setting up areas and expansion of indoor variability assuming usability through internal and external connections.