Want to make Bristol more fun? Here’s your chance. On the 10-11 September the ‘Making the City Playable’ conference will be held at the Watershed in Bristol.
The aim of the conference is to use playfulness to connect people to each other and the places they live and work. And in the process reduce people’s fear of technology in their living spaces. The conference will feature speakers from Google, Ogilvy, architect Usman Haque and the University of the West of England
Playable City have a good history of bringing playfulness to cities through technology, from Stockholm’s Piano Staircase which encouraged people to use stairs rather than the elevator (see video below) to Bogota’s traffic mimes which helped reduce traffic accidents, they want to make city experiences where technology encourages serendipity, hospitality and openness.
Clare Reddington, Watershed’s Creative Director, said: “Current public narratives around ‘smart’ cities of the future are driven by technology and a fear of isolation: the Playable City is a people-centred counterpoint.”
“Our event will examine whether offering permission to play can effect change and encourage citizens to re-imagine and re-configure their city’s services, places and stories”
She adds: “Our Making the City Playable conference will bring together a lively group of thinkers, makers, planners and civil disobedients to debate the notion and meaning of a playful urban space. Over two days, our event will examine whether offering permission to play can effect change and encourage citizens to re-imagine and re-configure their city’s services, places and stories.”
Bristol has already seen one Playable City commission with ‘Hello Lamp Post‘, where Bristolians could talk to lamp posts, post boxes, bollards, manholes or telegraph poles via text message. You could also leave messages for the next people who interact with the object. So here’s your chance to see and help shape what is coming to the city in the future.
Buy tickets for the Playable City Conference (£60 for individuals, £125 for companies), or follow them on Twitter at @PlayableCity for the latest news.
