“Gamification” for Teaching Collaborative Urban Design and Citizen Participation

Abstract

We present the initial results of the research project MINECO-BIA2016-77464-C2 coordinated by the Barcelona School of Architecture (ETSAB-UPC) and the Architecture Department at La Salle (ARQ-La Salle-URL). The project consists of cross-cutting research at the intersection between computer sciences, the teaching of future architects and multimedia engineers, and urban development policies in cities, in which citizen participation is fundamental. To study the working hypothesis, we identified four areas of action: 1. Focused on training and interaction with architecture students, specifically urbanism students, for the design of urban public spaces. 2. Centred on the training of multimedia engineers who will design and implement gamified processes on information and communication technology (ICT). 3. Focused on students’, professionals’ and citizens’ motivation and degree of satisfaction with the use of ICT. 4. Centred on studying and increasing citizen participation in this type of projects and proposals. The general objective is to promote the use of digital technologies and to assess the inclusion of serious game strategies and virtual reality in formal and informal learning environments on collaborative urban design, in order to improve, accelerate and increase its positive social impact.