Join us at the Urban Play Design Camp (3-4 October, 9.30-17.30, at Garage Notweg, Notweg 38, 1068 LL Amsterdam), a 2-days practical workshop to discover the techniques for creating games for cities. Students, practitioners, community organizers, activists, artists, researchers are all welcome. The Urban Play Design Camp provides participants with a hands-on practical introduction to the process of inventing, prototyping and testing playful activities in public spaces.
Why working on games and cities? While smartphones promise to connect us with far-away people, we risk losing contact with our neighbors and with the communities close by. Play is an antidote to dull and alienating urban spaces. More and more designers, architects, and public officials are looking at games as effective tools to re-engage people with their cities. Promoting play in public may be a new and effective form of community participation.
To apply for the Urban Play Design Camp, fill in the application form [application closed, we’re sold out]. Applicants will be confirmed on a rolling basis. In case of an excess of applications, we reserve the right to select candidates to ensure a diverse pool of participants.
A contribution of 50€ is required to cover material costs. Two lunches and coffee are provided by the organization. Payment is waived for students and staff of the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences.
The Urban Play Design Camp is part of Trust in Play / The European School of Urban Game Design, and is organized by the research group Play & Civic Media and the Digital Society School (DSS) at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, in partnership with Garage Notweg and the Media Architecture Biennale.
Trainers:
Gabriele Ferri (researcher Play & Civic Media, lecturer M.Sc. Digital Design) studies how play connects people and places. As a practitioner, he develops games to make people look at cities from new points of view.
Tamara Pinos C. (PhD Candidate & Instrument Developer at the Digital Society School) has a background in computer engineering, research, making and coaching. She likes to explore the possibilities of using mixed mediums and prototyping solutions for play.
Jake Henderson (Instrument Developer at the Digital Society School) with a background in computer science, he’s a multifaceted developer, a systems engineer, and overall tech enthusiast. He enjoys most turning “we can’t do that” ideas into fruition.