Urban Games- Transdisciplinary ways of working and

results pilot projects

IFHP September 17-18, 2012

Karl Alfredsson, Per Myrén

Why Urban Games?

Challenge:

Today´s youth have shown great interest in gaming and in “saving the planet". What if we could utilize gaming to help save the planet?

Urban Games is investigating that possibility on an urban scale. By presenting complicated systems like cities in a gaming format, organizations can provide opportunities for learning about urban development and sustainability. (from mistraurbanfutures.org)

Pilot Project Urban Games-communication and learning-young people and decision makers-doing, testing, the results-toolbox

How?- iPad Game 2021- Board Game Production- Urbania – dialogue tool

Transdisciplinarity in Action

2021

• iPad game for 13‐16 year olds developed, for the City Museum to create insights and be a base for a discussion on sustainable urban transformation.

• From the 500 students, who has tested it, we can conclude that this kind of game works very well: – to achieve better understanding for planning processes, – broaden perspectives and – there were several possibilities defined on how it can be used as a

planning tool.

• On Appstore

Board Games Production in Hammarkullen – Pilot Project 3

• Urban empowerment: cultures of participation and learning” ‐ creating capacity building processes:

• “…a way to act which makes it easier for participants involved (residents, practitioners, researchers, teachers, students, etc.) to enhance their combined ability to contribute towards change - social as well as physical.”

• Goal – to develop Hammarpark, the town square and the station

• Emmaskolan, 6‐10 years, Hammarkullen• 60 games, 100 children, 6 days, 3h…

Urbania‐ Light weight visualization tool

Design, Needs, Problems: ‐Zero learning curve‐Emulate workflow, feedback‐Open Source Tools ‐ Google Maps‐Instant documentation‐Low cost

Urbania is a light weight visualization and collaboration tool for urban planning and dialogue.

Urbania allows non technical users to interact using a map and to place symbols on the map to denote different areas and points on a map for discussion with other users who may for example be civil servants, specialists, neighbors in the area or citizens in general.

2021 – examine learning processes, new plattforms…

Emmaskolan – empowerment and designing methods…

Urbania – organizations, researchers, citizens, the needs of tomorrow, changing workflows, changing demands, new technology…

Some reflexions• The need of process knowledge and competence: experts,

citizens• How to design the dialogue process according to facts and

motivation• The challenges and how to deal with learning, content and

technology and co-operation

Thank youwww.mistraurbanfutures.org

Urban Games - Transdisciplinary ways of working and results pilot projects