City Activation Game

In most cities, there are groups of citizens who actively want to participate in their city and transform their surroundings. Urban problems are complex, and without engagement and a sense of belonging, urban changes are not sustainable. Moreover, only those who truly use the space know what will or will not work in it, and what the real needs of the community are.

However, when citizens organize themselves to promote urban changes and improvements in their neighborhoods, they often face a difficulty: creating a common perspective among different groups with different needs and desires. It is often challenging to remember and consider all the different phases of an urban change project, such as diagnosis, engagement of other groups and stakeholders, or the creation of sustainability plans for space management.

The City Activation Game was created by Instituto A Cidade Precisa de Você to support these citizen groups. Built on the accumulated experience of over 100 projects by A Cidade Precisa, the game presents concepts, tools, and challenges in a playful way. It has already been played at the Festival of Learning (FestA!) in Sesc Osasco and at Parque Buenos Aires as part of the Cidade de Brincar project, resulting in citizens promoting projects in their neighborhoods that make their communities more vibrant, cohesive, and beautiful.