Game Urbanism

Game Urbanism deals with the culture of spatial planning. Hans Venhuizen advances a broad understanding of culture that encompasses cultural history, heritage, architecture and art, as well as the culture of the current residents of a region and the idiosyncrasy of a place. In his search for a more specific identity for cities and areas, Venhuizen links the worlds of culture and space to each other in different ways. In this, his focus is always on the culture of spatial planning itself, and the game is his most important instrument. The relation between playfulness and seriousness is a key feature in all of Venhuizen’s projects. The game is capable of involving participants in an assignment on an equal basis. Moreover, it simplifies complex situations, reveals the wishes and interests of those involved, and provides pleasure in uncertain processes of change. With case studies, context, methods and reflection, this book shows a fundamentally different way of looking at how we deal with space, one in which culture assumes a natural and decisive role.

Authors: Hans Venhuizen, Charles Landry, Francien van Westrenen
Design: Meeus Ontwerpt

2010, Valiz with Bureau Venhuizen | supported by The Netherlands Architecture Fund and HGIS, The Netherlands Foundation for Visual Arts, Design and Architecture | paperback | 224 pp. | 24 x 17 cm (h x w) | English | ISBN 979-90-78088-46-2