In Praise of the Urban Sandbox by Jeff Ferzoco - Article Example

Article Reflection: In Praise of the Urban Sandbox by Jeff Ferzoco Ferzoco (2011) is an article that talks about planning themed games. Most computer and video games have always been viewed purely as a source of entertainment. However, Ferzoco (2011) provides another interesting perspective about them and how they can be of help to urban planners. Since most of these games have full-fledged simulation tools, they can help the player understand how cities are developed. Video games can be used to educate planners and also make the planning process exciting. It gives ideas and a practicing platform, which allows the player to be able to apply various planning principles that do not only apply in a particular game, but also to the real life situations. Some of the games include SimCity, Metoquest and Cities in motion. This treatise is a reflection on the ideas and issues raised in the article in relation to actual practice. The argument in this article on the use and application of such games in the practical planning process is an interesting and a well-informed one. Rarely do people think beyond the entertainment aspect of the city planning games. However, a closer look at the way they are played reveal that they incorporate various urban planning principles (Ferzoco, 2011). There are several urban planning axioms that are meant to reconcile and integrate the diverse urban planning and management issues. Some of them include environmental sustainability, right technology, institutional integrity and the efficiency of the infrastructural network. These are issues that are experienced in real world scenarios. From the article, it is also evident that the games take these factors into consideration thus allowing the player to feel as if he is practicing in the real world. One urban planning theory that is widely applied is the principle of intelligent urbanism. The theory consists of several axioms that are meant to guide the formulation of city plans and urban designs. Planners and designers are expected to rely on these axioms and planning fundamentals to ensure that their work is perfect. The article openly divulges that this theory is a part and parcel of the video games, further proving their applicability in planning practice. According to the proponents of the theory of intelligent urbanism, balancing of nature needs to be done in order to distinguish between the utilization and exploitation of the available resources. The focus here is to identify the threshold beyond which the planning practices will lead to deforestation, soil erosion and siltation. It requires carrying out of an environmental assessment in order to detect the fragile and endangered zones (Ferzoco, 2011). After various thresholds are identified, they are enhanced by practices such as density control and open space design. This also applies to the games on the basis of the discussion made in Ferzoco (2011). In games such as Slim City, the player is given the resources necessary to carry out his work and develop the city or urban center. However, this does not mean that these resources can be used in any way. Due care and planning is required so that a balance is struck between proper utilization and the exploitation of the resources. This implies that through the game, a planner may be able to think of and determine the most appropriate way of doing this. The identified avenues will be applicable in real life situations too if implemented carefully and cautiously. I have always believed that most computer and video games are an exaggerations and promote principles and aspects that cannot be applied to the day to day life. This belief was influenced by the fact that some games and simulations tend to portray practices and technologies which are rarely witnessed in the day to day lives. Some of the machines, buildings and materials in these games appear to be unreal and impracticable. However, this perception changed after reading Ferzoco’s (2011) perspective on some of the available planning games. According to the article, the player of such games is always expected to select the right kind of technology and techniques that will ensure that the right plan is developed and implemented. Urban planning greatly emphasizes on the use of right technology. The stakeholders and practitioners are expected to choose the right materials and infrastructural systems, come up with the right techniques for construction and also use management systems that are consistent with the situation and setting they are working in. The chosen technology is influenced by the capital investment, climatic conditions and the capacity of the population. Moreover, they need to identify a range of technological solutions that are available to tackle any kind of planning issue that arises. Ferzoco (2011) palpably shows how this is done in the video games and how planners can rely on it. In the games, one choses a context he or she wants to work in. Based on this and the prevailing conditions, the player must come up with techniques that address the situations. However, I find some of these techniques and technologies employed in the games to be highly generic and not easy to apply in some real world contexts. Based on the discussion in the article, video games can also be a very important learning tool among urban planning students. The games seem to be more effective in teaching urban planning than in the real world practice. Some of the planning concerns that are raised in the games are too ideal to be widely applied in reality. Therefore, the games should find most of their applications among the learning community. I believe that they will engine the students well and also enhance their problem solving skills in the contexts and situations that are found in the simulations. In addition to this, educators can organize their lesson plans outlines using the games in a way that allows the students to critically think about the issues that are facing the modern communities. There is a very important aspect in most of these games, which I believe makes it hard to fully learn and come up with the best planning initiatives for real world issues. This is the lack of competing interest in majority of them. Without competing interests, people react to the changes brought identically. This is not the case in the real world. In the course of their work, planners are faced with the problem of dealing with varied interests and needs of the populations they are working with. An intervention or plan proposed by the developer may prove to be acceptable to one group, but offensive to another. As such, a balance must be struck so that no section of the community is disadvantaged. Ferzoco (2011) singles out SimCity as one of the key simulations that should be embraced by planners. However, it is important to note that this particular game has been developed in such a way that the community react to whatever changes that are made in an indistinguishable manner. This disregards a very important aspect of urban planning, and that of understanding and accommodating diverse and competing interests. From the article, it is evident that the video games represent and demonstrate various aspects of the urban planning process. Socio- economic issues, environmental concerns, sustainability and resource availability are just some of the subjects that are dealt with. The player has to take them into account in order to come up with the best solution. Ferzoco (2011), therefore, gives a very detailed and informative analysis of these games and how planners and learners can use them to enhance their creativity and skills in managing the issues associated with their work. Reference Ferzico, J. (2011, April). In praise of the urban sandbox. The Magazine of the American Planning Association, 8-11. Read More