Abstract

For decades the human dimension has been neglected in urban planning topics. With the emergence of modernism, streets started to get larger in order to accommodate more cars, and step by step, the space for pedestrians has been reduced, dictated by the rhythm of the automobile flow. With the invasion of cars into cities, the high-rise buildings and towers made cities less and less pleasant for inhabitants. In return, city life studies demonstrate where conditions for pedestrians are improved, social and recreational activities increase extensively. In light of this situation, a number of cities have integrated playful urban installations to revitalize city centers. In this research, the creative practice of designing four concepts of interactive urban installations through a research through design (RtD) approach combined with a reflective practice is described. Then since incorporating the notion of play in a way that encourages social interactions requires a good understanding of human behavior, site observations of two urban installations were also conducted in Montreal. Ultimately, recurring events and themes were investigated and turned into co-design activities for establishing participatory workshops. This process proved to be particularly useful for validating the developed concepts with potential users and created the ground for further reflection. Through this exploration, the core concepts of participatory practices were addressed which reconcile with the current endeavor for transforming situations to make cities more enjoyable and welcoming in the future.