Transportable Democracity Belgium
BELvue
DISCIPLINES
Art direction, Interaction, Product, Social
Designing a powerful tool to educate children on democratic decision-making
DISCIPLINES
Art direction, Interaction, Product, Social
About the game
Transportable Democracity Belgium is an interactive game designed for children aged 11-12 to learn about city hall and democratic decision-making.
Created by BELvue and implemented by Studio Renate Boere, the game involves children collaboratively building a city, and making decisions on various elements like a swimming pool, police station, and mosque. By forming political parties, writing party programs, and debating, children learn the importance of consultation, argumentation, majority rule, and consensus in a democratic society.
This hands-on approach also helps children understand the complexities and responsibilities of democratic decision-making. The game is played in the council chamber of the local municipality, using a play mat and blocks representing various city facilities. Students sit in council seats and use microphones, simulating a real city council environment. The experience concludes with a Q&A session with local government officials, providing insights into real-world municipal politics
About the Design
Based on BELvue’s concept, the design of Democracity Belgium by Studio Renate Boere reflects both functionality and creativity. The game consists of a compact box containing 60 perspex buildings, each representing different city elements. These buildings are intelligently designed to be stackable like nesting dolls, making the game easy to transport and store. The design ensures that the game can be easily moved to different city halls and schools, providing flexibility and convenience.
The visual identity of the game emphasizes its educational and playful nature. The colorful perspex buildings are durable and visually appealing, symbolizing transparency in democratic processes. The overall design is both practical and engaging, capturing the essence of collaborative city-building and democratic decision-making.
Transportable Democracity Belgium has been played by thousands of children in many city halls across Belgium and the Netherlands. It has received high praise from educators, with many noting its educational value and the enthusiasm it generates among students. Coordinated by ProDemos in the Netherlands and BELvue in Belgium, the game continues to be a valuable tool in teaching young people about democracy in an accessible and interactive way.
“The visual identity of the game emphasizes its educational and playful nature.”
“Praised by educators, Democracity Belgium inspires enthusiasm and teaches democracy interactively.”
Colophon
Idea Democracity: BELvue
Idea Transportable Democracity: Studio Renate Boere
Design: Studio Renate Boere
Published by: King Baudouin Foundation, Brussels
Perspex objects: Stoutperspex, Rotterdam