6400:KOLLISION

In 2001, Kollision was invited to exhibit at Sønderborg Castle, Denmark. We chose to develop a tool that was rooted in the local context, but that was based on our interest in planning, technology and design. Besides the tool we exhibited a number of our previous projects. The exhibition also involved works by local artist, Søren Møller, who helped us gather local information in relation to our planning game. The technical set-up of the game was created in collaboration with programmer Peter Skaarup.

Leading up to the exhibition we identified a number of discussions that we wanted to include in the game related to on-going discussions about how Sønderborg might developed and planned, both at the local level but also regionally in relation to Germany and the Danish infrastructure. Based on our research we developed a game format where four players representing four different roles in the city play together. The consisted of a game board (a map of Sønderborg), a number of game pieces representing different categories, a webcam, a PC and two monitors. The game was turn-based, leading players through a series of possible scenarios for Sønderborg. The webcam monitored the position of the game pieces on the board, interpreting the relationship between them and providing the players with an added digital layer of information presented on two monitors.

The game was exhibited for a month and the exhibition was open to the public. We also facilitated a workshop with local politicians and officials from municipality. The game created a discussion forum, which all participants unanimously found interesting and a welcome addition to more traditional processes in management and planning.