THE CITY AT PLAY / CO-DESIGNING GAMES AS ECO-POLITICAL AGENCY

Abstract

“The City At Play” displays parts of how co-design researchers in collaboration with civil servants practically have engaged in exploring urban ecologies by challenging current collaborative municipal mapping and transition processes through game development. The exhibit is a narrative installation of tangible traces from the participatory prototyping sessions and “animating” interventions into municipal planning contexts - in this case climate transition in the Öresund region. It is argued that a game inspired co-designing mind-set – rather than a problem-solving approach – presents ways to explore and critically reflect upon dynamic urban complexities as eco-political contexts of competition and collaboration across competencies and administrative units.