As part of the SHARE-North Squared project, the interactive 12 m² Dice Game was recently brought to the University of Applied Sciences Bremen (Hochschule Bremen). Cornelia Cordes (City of Bremen) was invited by Michael Glotz-Richter to conduct the game with Civil Engineering students.
The Urban Planners of Tomorrow
The Civil Engineering students who participated in the Dice Game will one day help shape the face of our cities. For this reason, it is crucial to raise awareness of the implications of parking spaces, induced traffic, and the many negative consequences of car-based mobility and urban planning. Understanding these dynamics early on is paramount for developing more sustainable, people-centred urban environments.
The students showed great interest in Bremen’s new mobility bylaw and asked many questions about how it works in practice. In response, Cornelia Cordes invited them to take part in a thought experiment by playing the 12 m² Dice Game. Using a simple but powerful setup, the game explores how a small amount of space - 12m², roughly the size of a single parking spot - can be used differently, and how society can benefit in the long run from transforming parking spaces into something else.
Civil engineering students playing the Dice Game and discussing how we can use 12m² - the space taken up by an average car parking spot - differently.
Perspectives on Urban Space
Using the Dice Game as a conversation starter, the students discussed the pros and cons of different uses of parking spaces, not only from the perspective of car drivers but also considering young people, older adults, children, pedestrians, and the environment. Topics such as the need for affordable housing, climate change, heat waves, and urban quality of life naturally emerged during the game, leading to lively discussions and new perspectives.
The session demonstrated once again how playful, participatory methods can spark critical thinking, and helps future engineers better understand the far-reaching impacts of mobility choices on cities and society.
Text by Cornelia Cordes (City of Bremen)
Edited by Jelten Baguet (Mpact)
Picture by Michael Glotz-Richter(Gloricon)