Building Capacity in Urban Sustainability Assessment through Use of a Scenarios Game

Abstract

Urban form, the patterns of cities, in New Zealand is explored 50 years into the future through a scenarios game, published on the Internet. Four diverse scenarios provide a means to explore the present situation and envision how it may change over time with different trend drivers. Wild card events introduce uncertainty in a way that resonates with historical experience, although the content is future-focused. The researchers sought ways to engage policymakers and the wider public in futuring as a creative process, and to employ narrative and visual feedback from game experiences. They developed adaptations in game design and process, including the use of urban maps. Results highlighted a need for resilience in urban form to increase prospects for longer-term viability. Use of the scenarios game may aid creative thinking about urban design and contribute to capacity building, such as a readiness to cope with rapid social or environmental change and to apply values that underpin sustainability.