Context and rules !
Introduction: Understanding the Placemaking Maptivity
The Placemaking Maptivity is an innovative workshop tool designed to transform how communities approach sustainable urban development. At its core, this serious game creates a collaborative space where diverse stakeholders—from city officials and urban planners to community organizations and citizens—can visualize, discuss, and align their efforts toward creating more sustainable, resilient neighborhoods and cities.
Breaking Down Silos, Building Shared Vision
One of the greatest challenges in urban sustainability is the fragmentation that occurs when different departments, sectors, and organizations work in isolation. Transportation departments plan mobility solutions, housing authorities develop residential strategies, and environmental teams implement green initiatives—often with limited coordination. The Placemaking Maptivity addresses this fundamental challenge by providing a common language and visual framework that enables all participants to see how their individual efforts connect to broader sustainability goals.
From Abstract Frameworks to Tangible Action
The workshop translates the internationally recognized ISO 37101 framework for sustainable communities into an engaging, hands-on experience. Rather than wrestling with abstract concepts, participants work with physical or digital cards representing real projects, initiatives, and vision elements. By placing these cards on a specially designed map that shows the intersection of sustainability purposes (like resilience, social cohesion, and resource efficiency) with action areas (such as mobility, governance, and education), participants literally see how different initiatives contribute to multiple goals simultaneously.
Fostering Genuine Collaboration
Through guided activities and structured dialogue, the Maptivity creates an environment where technical experts can communicate effectively with community members, where long-term strategic visions can be connected to immediate actions, and where gaps in current efforts become visible and addressable. The workshop format—whether conducted in-person around a large physical board or online through digital collaboration tools—encourages active participation, creative problem-solving, and collective ownership of sustainability challenges and solutions.
This methodology doesn’t just help participants understand sustainability concepts; it empowers them to identify synergies, recognize gaps, and develop actionable strategies that leverage the full potential of cross-sector collaboration.