Ludic Futures: Intersecting Climate + Play

This studio sits at the intersection of two beliefs about the future: 

1. A changing climate has broad implications for cities and regions, stressing both social and physical infrastructures, and; 

2. The fundamental human condition of playfulness will persist and is critical to supporting social resilience in the face of this change. 

Our studio is set in Albania, a place that has experienced massive shifts and upheavals in its own history. It is now primed, through political will and investment, to be an international example of urban design and policy that is climate responsive and centered on children, families, and play.

This studio is organized around a series of five design exercises and three seminars. Each is intended to help cultivate a culture of curiosity within the studio about the subject matter (play + climate), the context within which we are working (Shkoder, Albania), and amongst the cohort (as individuals and classmates). With this in mind, the semester has been structured into two phases separated by the travel week in October. The bulk of the work throughout the semester will be undertaken in pairs or small groups with opportunities for class-wide collaboration. We believe that this collaboration is necessary to undertake this type of work – especially in a region that you may not be familiar with – and that respectful, engaging partnerships produce more thorough and creative projects.