The civic horse

From Public Play Space Community

Author:

Israel h cola ( studio chi )

London, uk, 2020

GAME.png
Purpose
Purpose Activation.pngActivation
Purpose Interconnection.pngInterconnection
Purpose Collaberating.pngCollaborating
Purpose Raise awareness.pngRaise Awareness
Purpose Educate.pngEducate
Purpose Visualise needs.pngVisualize Needs
Purpose Simulate impact of decisions.pngSimulate Impact of Decisions
Purpose Decision making.pngDecision Making
Purpose Designing.pngDesigning
Co-Creation
Co-Creation Co-analysis.pngCo-Analysis
Co-Creation Co-design.pngCo-Design
Co-Creation Co-implementation.pngCo-Implementation
Co-Creation Co-maintenance.pngCo-Maintenance
Co-Creation Co-monitoring.pngCo-Monitoring
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Outcome
Outcome Decision making.pngDecision Making
Outcome Knowledge.pngKnowledge
Outcome Assesment.pngAssessment
Outcome Design.pngDesign
Outcome Inclusion.pngInclusion
Outcome Awareness.pngAwareness
Outcome Partnership.pngPartnership
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PLAY.png
Mechanics
Mechanics Alternitive reality.pngAlternative Reality
Mechanics Role play.pngRole Play
Mechanics Rule based play.pngRule Based Play
Mechanics Location based.pngLocation Based
Mechanics Simulations.pngSimulations
Mechanics Mapping.pngMapping
Mechanics Geolocation.pngGeolocation
Mechanics Hypothesis.pngHypothesis
Mechanics Metagame.pngMetagame
Tech&Tools
Technology & Tools Analoge Tangibles.pngAnaloge Tangibles
Technology & Tools AR VR.pngAR / VR
Technology & Tools Audio Visual.pngAudio Visual
Technology & Tools Data AI.pngData AI
Technology & Tools Data Collection Visualization.pngData Collection/Visualization
Technology & Tools Digital Interface.pngDigital Interface
Technology & Tools Mobile.pngMobile
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Aesthetics
Aesthetics Sensation.pngSensation
Aesthetics Imagination.pngImagination
Aesthetics Assemblage.pngAssemblage
Aesthetics Pysical activity construction.pngPhysical Activity / Construction
Aesthetics Realism.pngRealism
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SPACE.png
Scale
Scale Metropolitan.png Metropolitan
Scale City.png City
Scale District.png District
Scale Neighbourhood.png Neighbourhood
Scale Street.png Street
Scale Undefined.png Undefined
Empty.png Empty.png Empty.png
Audience
Audience Community.png Community
Audience Planning expert.png Planning Expert
Audience Stakeholders.png Audience Stakeholders
Audience Policy Makers.png Policy Makers
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Scope
Scope Individual.png Individual
Scope Small group.png Metropolitan
Scope Larger group.png Small Group
Scope Crowd.png Crowd
Scope Pre-defined.png Pre-Defined
Empty.png
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We want to boost community engagement through a playful urban artefact that identifies issues and opportunities, promotes participation and connects civic initiatives across neighbourhoods.

To achieve this we propose a Catalyst/Accelerator for Community Initiatives -'THE CIVIC HORSE' (aka #TCH): an itinerant Micro Civic Space that creates a temporary arena of interaction, discussion and collective imagination.

#TCH is a Collaborative and Networked Physical Experience that exists both in the streets and in a digital platform, where users/citizens can decide on:

a/ Its urban Location –in a sort of online strategic ‘Chess game’,

and

b/ Its formal configuration or Version (number and arrangement of Components) –an urban scale three-dimensional ‘Puzzle’ that changes depending on the site characteristics and input from local participants.

By placing it in varying strategic locations, #TCH acts as an Attractor that draws the attention of all local stakeholders to a certain space or building, boosting quick consultation that lead to meaningful civic initiatives. Its formal configuration (version) sets a specific interaction/dialogue with existing buildings or open spaces, highlighting positive and negative features of these assets.

Once #TCH is configured, assembled and installed in a temporary location, users will use this meanwhile civic space to establish connections; arrange meetups, events and workshops; expose community issues and opportunities; and debate on the present and future of their neighbourhoods, while co-designing the space in a more playful, inclusive and collaborative manner.

All this information –along with posts, photos, likes and ratings- is continuously recorded and updated in the map-based digital platform, gradually building up a collective data-base made of local stories, memories, challenges, reflections, opportunities and proposals.

This will organically generate articulated and coordinated communal programmes and proposals, with which citizens can approach councils, institutions, funding platforms or private stakeholders from a firmer position; hence strengthening local communities while positively transforming their physical environment.

#TCH is also an urban/civic Educator: each of its components represents a set of basic urban/architectural/spatial functions with the power to improve the existing environment, such as:

- promote more seating and interaction areas,

- increase accessibility,

- generate relief from urban chaos and pollution (visual, acoustic, atmospheric),

- enhance sense of protection and safety,

- give easy and accurate live information of the neighbourhood (way finding, livability indicators, energy consumption, waste management etc.),

- foster a more playful and engaging urban experience, such as creating customisable urban trails linking points of interest, exhibitions or events,

- introduce more greenery and provide basic education on local urban food growth, etc.

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