An EU-funded project for New European Bauhaus transformations towards climate-neutral, beautiful and inclusive cities
Aim of the Project
Play AUT the Box, Playable cities for all (PAtB) builds on ASD Publics to reinforce and go one step further in the improvement of public play spaces for children with autism and their families. By co-designing the Box AUT, an adaptation of the ‘play containers’ installed in the city’s public space, and piloting Games AUT, the games and toys they contain, the project prioritises a community that has traditionally been underrepresented in public policies and actions.
The PAtB consortium will prototype a living lab for the co-creation of environmentally and autism-friendly play infrastructure with key stakeholders and end-users. PAtB will deepen the knowledge on the needs of children with autism and their families and on how these can be translated into the design of concrete play infrastructure putting into practice the ASD Public design guidelines and pushing the city of Barcelona into a leading and pioneering position in real universal accessibility.
PAtB will pilot environmental and autism-friendly play infrastructure to promote social inclusion for autistic children and their families and improve their experience of the city. The specific objectives are: co-designing six prototypes for play infrastructure and co-design an environmental and autism-friendly version of the containers installed in the city’s public spaces (Box AUT).
It will do so through four co-creation workshops with autistic children and their families, members, city officials, autism experts and play infrastructure designers. Games Aut prototypes will be tested and displayed during a public event in the «0-99» play space in Les Glories, Barcelona.
Activities
Introduction of the PAtB project to carpentry students
19th September
On Tuesday 19th September the two PAtB project leaders, Blanca Calvo and Raquel Colacios, introduced the project to the group of students of the carpentry school of the Escola Industrial de Sabadell who will be involved in the co-design and fabrication of the Games AUT.
We had the collaboration of two families from Aprenem who introduced the autistic spectrum and some specificities that children on the autistic spectrum share when playing.
1st Workshop with families
Saturday 7th October
The first co-design session established guidelines, objectives, visions, and challenges families face while their kids play. The information gathered in the format of guided discussion is the first step for the design of the Games AUT and Box AUT.
The session involved families of children with autism, autism experts, therapists, designers, and manufacturers.
2nd Co-creation Workshop
Saturday 25th November
The second co-creation workshop served to deepen the design guidelines for the game container, establishing agreements regarding design elements and strategies for the container and its surroundings. At the same time, it served to present the first prototypes of games and establish a discussion regarding the problems and potential of the same.
Third Workshop with families
Saturday 20th January
Engaged in the third workshop with families, where the focus was on crafting a thoughtful design for the container. We delved into the intricacies of element distribution, materials, and support actions to enhance the experience for ASD children and their families
EIT Community NEB Celebration!
Excited to have been part of the annual EIT Community NEB celebration in Barcelona! It was a day filled with engaging activities, providing a fantastic opportunity to connect and collaborate with researchers from across the EU. Grateful for the enriching experience!
Testing session with children and their families
Saturday 16th March
Families and children involved in the project had the opportunity to participate in testing session for the game prototypes. It was a delightful morning during which we observed children playing with the games co-created through collaborative design sessions. We took note of the challenges and preferences they expressed while engaging with the various games.
The event was a resounding success, with children thoroughly enjoying themselves as they engaged with the diverse range of play elements provided.
We extend our gratitude to all the families who participated, as well as to Aprenem Autisme, IGAIN, Escola Industrial de Sabadell, and Ajuntament de Barcelona for their invaluable contributions in making this endeavor possible.
About us
TURBA (Urban Transformation and Global Change Laboratory) research group is the project leader of ASD Publics. It is part of the Internet Interdisciplinary Institute (IN3) at Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC). TURBA has extensive experience in European co-creation projects. Examples of these initiatives are PERFORM, COOLSCHOOLS ,T-Factor and EPSN.
Global Institute of Neurodevelopment Integrated Care (IGAIN) is a national reference centre for the diagnosis of neurodevelopmental disorders and treatment. It trains professionals in ASD and accredits ASD diagnostic instruments in America and Europe. It offers evidence-based treatment for people with ASD throughout their life cycle.
Barcelona City Council participates through the involvement of the Area of Ecology, Urban Planning and Mobility, and the collaboration of the Municipal Institute for Persons with Disabilities (IMPD) and the Barcelona Institute of Childhood and Adolescence (IIAB).
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© CC by-sa-nc ASD Publics | BCNeuroinclusiva consortium.
Disclaimer
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.