A Study on an‘Urban Design Game’Tool as a Participatory Planning Technique - Focused on a Case Study of‘Urban Futures Game’in UK -

How urban planners can predict the urban futures has been one of key issues in urban planning, but it is very difficult for urban planners to figure out ways of shaping urban futures due to uncertainty of the future built environment. In this aspect, recent development of the ‘Urban Design Game’ technique in developed countries provides planning parties with opportunities to consider what the built environment has been so far and will be in the future. In particular, ‘Urban Futures Game’ - a participatory planning package developed in Building Futures, UK – has been widely used to establish future visions of cities, develop possible development options, and set up strategic priorities by people’s own hands. This study aims at identifying general characteristics and structures of the ‘Urban Design Game’ technique through a case study of ‘Urban Futures Game.’ Based on a case study of ‘Urban Futures Game’, the following implications are drawn: First, the ‘Urban Design Game’ tool helps different planing parties reach consensus of urban futures in the comprehensive and easy way. Second, by using highly standardized components, game participants can compare their scenarios with one another very quickly and develop the final scenario. Third, the game rules are very easy, and any one in the community or the city can use it without urban planners’ help or guidance. Finally, the outcomes of the ‘Urban Design Game’ tool can have a lot of potentials to be integrated into the current urban planing system by establishing legislature support.