在英国Plymouth发表学术科研论文​

Abstract

Advancements in information and communication technologies and the growing pressure on city infrastructures through mass urbanisation have led to a rise of ‘smart city’ initiatives. These initiatives typically aim to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of city infrastructures through large-scale, centrally controlled systems. In this paper we build on the call by scholars for alternative bottom-up strategies and the observation that hedonic qualities equally contribute to shaping the quality of life in cities. As a response, we investigate playful urban interfaces as tactical strategies for addressing urban challenges through playful interventions. Our investigation includes the review of previous works and research on playful urban experiences and the design and evaluation of TetraBIN – our own playful urban interface. We examine a gamification and game thinking for urban prototyping, making use of game mechanics to create playful interactions with everyday objects in the urban landscape. The evaluation of TetraBIN through two field studies revealed that playful urban interfaces have a positive impact on the general public’s experiences in urban environments. The paper further contextualises our intervention and the use of game mechanics within the discussion that has recently occurred in the media around the role of game play in cities. Our aim is to contribute to the design of future urban environments, reinforcing the important role of embedded digital technologies and intelligent infrastructure in shaping our urban environments.