metaPLACE – Prototyping participatory urban media for co-designed place-making ; URBAN ASSEMBLAGE: THE CITY AS ARCHITECTURE, MEDIA, AI AND BIG DATA

Abstract

As early as 2006, architects and urban planners were expressing amazement and concern at the seemingly out of control speed of urban change in Chinese cities. Less well understood is that by 2014, Australia was also experiencing rates of urbanisation approaching 90%, with 90 per cent of the population living in just 0.22 per cent of the country's land area. In both societies, the shared challenges of rapidly urbanising futures is raising critical questions about the relevance of traditional urban design for city-planning, place-making, and the sustainability of livable of urban spaces. The experimental study 'metaPLACE' aims to use participatory urban media to test the effectiveness of Sino-Australian co-designed public urban interfaces in helping government and urban planners better understand and design for rapidly urbanising cities. Using Chongqing as a case study, metaPLACE tests the theoretical assumption that participatory urban media (large and small interactive screens, installations, façades, and devices) can act as a co-designed interface between diverse community, industry and government stakeholders. In assessing how co-designed interactive urban media can build engagement and dialogue between citizens and other city stakeholders about the places in which they live, work, and play, the research is iteratively exploring how participatory design can promote co-designed place-making for more liveable urban environments.This paper discusses the insights contributed by Urban Media Stakeholders participating in a co-design workshop conducted in Chongqing during 2019 that concluded Stage 1 of this three-year study. The key findings and rapid prototypes from the workshop are evaluated and contextualised within an ongoing iterative co-design process in preparation for testing in Chongqing's public and digital spaces. Reflecting on the implications of the workshop outputs for the subsequent research stages, we speculate on the impact of emergent challenges and opportunities for this research moving forward in post-COVID19 cities.