Join us for an inspiring evening in collaboration with Play the City, where gaming is used as an integral problem-solving method. We’re bringing policy makers, market parties and citizens around the table. Through the “city-gaming” methodology, you’ll step into an immersive simulation where you take on roles, negotiate, strategise and collaborate to address real-world urban challenges. This session is a live game designed to spark new thinking, meaningful connections and actionable ideas. With Ekim Tan, founder of Game for Cities, leading the session, you’ll explore how playful engagement can reshape how cities are planned and experienced. Let’s play the city together and get a taste of co-creating the future of urban environment!
On the 6th of November 2024, together with urban planners, architects, economist and academics, the EcoCity London board game has served as a comprehensive blueprint to envision and develop a sustainable future for the city. Now, on Tuesday the 18th of November 2025, at Pakhuis de Zwijger, this specific boardgame will serve as an instrument to teach us that how playful engagement can assist us in sparking off new ways of thinking, building up meaningful connections and bringing actionable idea’s to the table in the context of urban planning.
By reflecting on different economic models, comparing different actionable strategies for different EcoCity themes, and considering suitable governance models, the EcoCity London Game will take us on a journey to design our own sustainable metropolis guided by the sustainability pillars: economy, ecology and equity.
Ekim Tan is an architect from Istanbul based in Amsterdam. She obtained her doctoral degree at the Delft University of Technology with a focus on ‘ City gaming ‘, a method that refers to the specific implementation of serious games to city development questions. Later she published her book, Play the City: Games Informing Urban Development (2017) to provide a deeper understanding of our values, experiences, and intellectual attitude. In 2010, she founded Play the City , an Amsterdam and Istanbul-based city gaming practice that helps governments and market parties effectively collaborate with stakeholders. Ekim has also co-founded Games for Cities , an umbrella organization of game[like] practices worldwide. Play the City leads the way in applying games to complex, multiplayer city challenges.
*There will be limited spots for participants (Max 20) to play the game. This does not mean others cannot learn, observe and/or be indirectly involved.
* We may run over time for this part.
