The Playful City Lab – Based in Washington, DC, at American University_News & Media

//Skip to contentThe Playful City LabBased in Washington, DC, at American University< Overview >< Tool: Hive Mechanic >< Book: Locally Played >< Updates and news >Group blog (research group)Blog for Benjamin Stokes (PI)Twitter for @bgStokesDC Storytelling System news (2020)< Pokemon GO Report >< Report overview >< Cities covered >San Jose (Viva CalleSJ)Free Library of Philadelphia (x5)Charlotte (Open Streets 704)Boston (youth and participatory voice)Philly Free StreetsChester, UK (Big Heritage Festival)Akron (downtown discovery)New Bedford (independent)Download and citeThe future of citiesPhysical Interventions to Remix Pokémon GOOpen Streets FestivalsSocial Mixing Through AR Search Report: Remixing Pokémon GO for City Goals Our team is led by Dr. Benjamin Stokes and based at American University in Washington, DC. APPROACH: The future of cities depends on participation and engagement. Our lab in Washington, DC, investigates the power of playful tactics to advance equity, strengthen the sense of place, and build strong communities.Recent ResearchNew book: “Locally Played: Real-World Games for Stronger Places and Communities” (MIT Press, 2020)New grant: 2-year project to bring neighborhood games to 20+ cities through public libraries, funded by IMLS ($249k) and featuring our new game engine, Hive Mechanic.Our DC Storytelling System launched in collaboration with the Smithsonian and DC Public Libraries (2019-2021) as a new approach to circulating stories of local history and activism tied to neighborhoods and civic institutions.Report: Cities Remix Pokémon GO (2018) — the first large-scale investigation into how cities can appropriate and remix commercial games to advance local goals, including within “open street” festivals and with neighborhood libraries. The report provides a few hints at the future of cities as participatory spaces, showing how playful engagement can connect disparate groups and organizations.Report: “Impact” with Games — rethinking “impact” with games, and how the right language is crucial to overcome fragmentation. In partnership with Games for Change, with funding from the Packard Foundation.Funding and collaborators (recent):The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation with Niantic, Inc., in support of our research on cities appropriating Pokemon GO (see the report “Cities Remix a Playful Platform“)The Packard Foundation and Games for Change, in support of our work on the Game Impact ProjectSmithsonian Women’s Committee for their support of our DC storytelling system for the “Right to the City” exhibit at the Smithsonian Anacostia Community MuseumThe Humanities Truck, based on a grant from The Henry Luce Foundation and Andrew W. Mellon FoundationThe Leimert Phone Company and our experimental game Sankofa Says (featured at IndieCade, and profiled in forthcoming book)New work: Authoring tool: Currently scaling to 25+ cities, Hive Mechanic is a new way to create your own city game, smart city activity, or participatory neighborhood story. Tap into city data, send text messages, or use RFID to bring physical objects to life. No programming required — just use our card system. Our goal is to help democratize design, from library maker spaces to community museums. Currently supported with funding from the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS) in partnership with the DC Public Library.Locally Played Stickers: a logo and campaign for anyone to use, inspired by the success of locally made goods. By calling a game “locally played,” we recognize and elevate a particular spirit of play—including hopes of greater connection to place, our neighbors, and our local history.More writings on…Participatory design (PD) for neighborhood installations (via ResearchGate) Stronger communities and playful cities (via ResearchGate)Curricular innovation: How to design games for playful cities — a pioneering course for our MA in Game DesignMeet our full team and alumni at The Playful City Lab!To stay in touch, reach us on Twitter (@bgstokes) or email [email protected] comments on “”Pingback: At a Local Café: Two Phones and a Truck (Busboys & Poets on 14th Street) – DC Storytelling System Pingback: Spanish Hotline and Dual Phones (“not an accident”) – DC Storytelling System Pingback: 6+ Nodes for a Special Event (Adams Morgan Day, 2019) – DC Storytelling System Pingback: New voices? Counting photos? Reflections from Adams Morgan Day 2019 – DC Storytelling System Pingback: Iterations on the Mount for the Classic Phone – DC Storytelling System Pingback: “Playful Making with Urban Furniture” (a talk with the Dept. of Ed) | Benjamin Stokes Pingback: New exhibit: Photo Mapping to Rethinking DC’s Alleys (at the District Architecture Center) – The Playful City Lab Pingback: For Teachers: Bundled Cards and Learning Standards (DCPS Development Day) – DC Storytelling System Pingback: Playful Reflections (pt.1): Personal Insights – DC Storytelling System Pingback: Playful Reflections (pt.2): Future Design Ideas – DC Storytelling System Pingback: Paper Cards before Digital Cards (Prototyping with Hive Mechanic) – The Playful City Lab Pingback: Greater Reston Arts Center Launches Buoyant Oracle — A Sculpture That Talks Back - TysonsToday Pingback: Episode 75: Play as a Precursor to Participation, with Reanne Estrada and Benjamin Stokes - How Do You Like It So Far? Pingback: Using the Truck to Spur Digital Experiences (Experiments at Adams Morgan Day 2020) – DC Storytelling System Pingback: Using WordPress as a Hive Mechanic Media Manager – The Playful City Lab Pingback: Jouer localement pour changer le monde – Michael BUROW Pingback: Video: Mural hunt game (featuring clues-by-SMS, photographs, and more) – The Playful City Lab Comments are closed. ArchivesApril 2022October 2021December 2020November 2020July 2020May 2020April 2020March 2020June 2018April 2018CategoriesDesignsHive MechanicPokemon GOUncategorized Proudly powered by WordPress | Theme: Nordic by Sandpatrol.