The city as a game board: Open-air urban games as tools in urban and heritage interpretation

Abstract

The article focuses on the use of urban games as educational tools for learning to interpret architectural heritage and understand urban revitalization processes. The starting point is the growing importance of participatory and educational activities in revitalization projects, which require engaging forms of knowledge transfer based on direct experience of urban space. The aim of this article is to present a methodology for designing urban games for heritage interpretation and to examine their educational potential in the field of architecture and urban planning. The research was conducted using original urban games carried out in areas undergoing revitalization processes. A pre- and postsurvey method was used to assess changes in participants’ familiarity with the studied area and its historical buildings, awareness of architectural details, ability to interpret cultural heritage, and knowledge of historical figures associated with the area. The tasks used in the games were divided into five categories: test, encryption, interactive, project, and analytical, differing in difficulty and the range of skills involved. The results showed that the test and encryption tasks were the easiest for participants, while the project and analytical tasks proved to be the most challenging. The article has an applied and research-oriented character and seeks to organize knowledge on the design and evaluation of urban games in the context of architecture, urban planning, and revitalization.