Participator, A Participatory Urban Design Instrument

Abstract

A point cloud of reference points forms the programmable basis of a new method of urban and architectural modeling. Points in space from the smallest identifiable units that are informed to communicate with each other to form complex data structures. The data are visualized as spatial voxels [3d pixels] as to represent spaces and volumes that maintain their mutual relationships under varying circumstances. The subsequent steps in the development from point cloud to the multimodal urban strategy are driven by variable local and global parameters. Step by step new and more detailed actors are introduced in the serious design game. Values feeding the voxel units may be fixed, variables based on experience, or randomly generated. The target value may be fixed or kept open. Using lines or curves and groups of points from the original large along the X, Y and Z-axes organized crystalline set of points are selected to form the shape of actual working space. The concept of radical multimodality at the level of the smallest grain requires that at each stage in the design game individual units are addressed as to adopt a unique function during a unique amount of time. Each unit may be a home, a workplace, a workshop, a shop, a lounge area, a school, a garden or just an empty voxel anytime and anywhere in the selected working space. The concept of multimodality [MANIC, K Oosterhuis, 2018] is taken to its extreme as to stimulate the development of diversity over time and in its spatial arrangement. The programmable framework for urban multimodality acknowledges the rise and shine of the new international citizen, who travels the world, lives nowhere and everywhere, inhabits places and spaces for ultrashort, shorter or longer periods of time, lives her/his life as a new nomad [New Babylon, Constant Nieuwenhuys, 1958]. The new nomad lives on her/his own or in groups of like-minded people, effectuated by setting preferences and choices being made via the ubiquitous multimodality app, which organizes the unfolding of her / his life. In the serious design game nomadic life is facilitated by real time activation of a complex set of programmable monads. Playing and further developing the design journey was executed in 4 workshop sessions with different professional stakeholders, architects, engineers, entrepreneurs and project developers.