URBAN DOTS: the interactive urban planning game

Welcome to "Urban Dots". The new interactive urban planning game by Architectural Democracy, that both kids and adults can use for both playing and research.

To test it for the 1st time ever we invited 20 kids of 10 years of age, into the Aalto University, in Finland. Kids walked around the parking lot, and we told them, we need more houses here, so students live closer to the university. Then we went inside to the City Science Lab. We divided the group into 2 teams, and we gave each kid roles, the lobbyist for houses, the lobbyist for shops, for offices, for factories, parks, schools, energy, and parking the mayor, and the builder.

Now you can plan the city in that parking lot, but with legos and when u put in the legos, it will show up in the screen and it will also show what it needs and what it gives

The currency are the dots of the legos.

The mayor has the last call, the builder advises, and the others lobby. The new block will be sustainable if what it is given, equals what it is taken, so, zero.

The 2 teams battled as time was limited. Kids played for 3 hours, changing mayors and roles In planning cities.

There are no perfect solutions, we all do the best we can with the time we have!

Initiator and producer: Aalto Living+

Concept and realization: Architectural Democracy, Pedro Aibéo

Assistance of production: Giovanna Casimiro

Programmer: Mauricio Jabur

Video shooting: Sebastian Kammonen

In collaboration with: Lähiöfest 2019 and the MIT City Science Lab

Urban Dots is at display at the MIT City Science Lab @Aalto

Pedro Aibéo