Statement

85% of prefabricated reinforced concrete buildings were built before 2001 and just passed half of their life span. These housing units are now technically and morally outdated and cannot meet the needs of contemporary lifestyles. Most countries are now looking for appropriate methods to renovate and renew these buildings and their communities, but this process often ignores the wishes of the residents. Therefore, PHYGITAL COMMUNITY attempts to building an open digital game platform for users to envision building blocks within an old neighbourhood. This research is both an educational and research initiative exploring the connection between games and architecture, contributing to a form of digital infrastructure for the open negotiation and design method for building renovation of pre-cast concrete housing.

I. Global Phenomenon

Conclusion

In the process of renovation of old community with block housings, we have seen enough conflicts and time waste between residents and overall decision-making group. Thus, a new tool that work for all stakeholders (both experts and non-experts) is greatly needed to bring these voices together.

A greater number of contributors, are taking part in the shaping of their cities: collaborative urban design process is benefits from the communication revolution where people are trying different ways to co-producing cities.

Gamification offer us the opportunity to make tools that provide direct feedback for designers and that non-designer can use, making them easily accessible for people without the means or voice to participate in the typical processes of architectural design. It also works as a knowledge creation and negotiation tool that brings multiple stakeholders together to generate popularly informed policies or design.

Aim and objective

The aim is to reach participatory urbanism towards the renovation of pre-cast concrete housing built between 1960s to 1990s by means of gamification, to develop a collective design platform for multi-stakeholders to make policies and visualize the impact of design solutions.

II. Methodology

– Game Context//Who and Where to play

– The Play//How to play

III. The Application

Phygital Community is a project of IAAC, Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia developed in the Master of Advanced Architecture 2021/22 by:

Students: Nan Yin 

Faculty: Manuel Gausa & Johan Jasser Salas