participatory game
The city as text
The City as Text is a participatory game that invites young people to explore the city they live in through three interconnected perspectives: climate change, community, and mental health.
Using a map of their city and a set of cards, players reflect on locations they know, share experiences, imagine changes, and develop ideas for a more just, inclusive, and sustainable urban future.
The game is based on the idea of the city as a “text” (Radović, 2013). A city can be understood as a space that we constantly write, erase, and recreate through everyday life, social relationships, and political decisions. Urban space is not neutral; power relations, economic interests, and social inequalities shape it. Processes such as gentrification, the privatization of public space, and the unequal distribution of green and safe areas often transform community structures and affect residents’ sense of belonging, safety, and mental well-being.
Climate change often deepens these inequalities, as vulnerable social groups are often more exposed to environmental risks, have weaker infrastructure, and lack supportive spaces. The game “The City as Text” encourages participants not only to observe the city but to read it critically—understanding who it belongs to, who shapes it, and who is excluded from decision-making processes.
The game emphasizes personal experiences, local knowledge, and collective reflection. It encourages participants to engage in dialogue, build solidarity, and imagine alternative ways to co-create cities based on care for people, communities, and the environment.
There are no right or wrong answers—only conversations, connections, and possibilities.
The game was developed as part of the project “Urban Community – In Transition For Youth” by Pekarna Magdalenske mreže (Maribor, Slovenia), designed by Anamarija Ludvik, in partnership with Udruga Vestigium (Zagreb, Croatia) and Profilantrop Egyesület (Budapest, Hungary), supported by the Erasmus+ programme.
Within this project and partnership, we aimed to improve the well-being of young people while encouraging sustainable ways of living among both young people and youth workers, as well as strengthening awareness of the impact that urban residents have on the environment.
