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The Interactive Future of Place

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a person in an immersive interactive experience neon

A few years ago, in his book The Inevitable, Kevin Kelly said:

“In the coming 30 years, anything that is not intensely interactive will be considered broken”.

There’s good reasons for this prediction… with over 3 billion active gamers on the planet, several generations that are now coming into the world are demanding more from the environments around them: interactivity, agency and playability is now the norm, rather than the exception.

But what does that mean for physical places, environments and architecture?

As technology continues to advance, the concept of interactive immersive spaces has emerged as a fascinating and transformative way to engage people in their environments. A playable place is a physical or digital environment designed to facilitate active participation, creativity, and exploration.

Whilst certainly not new, there’s currently a huge explosion of these kinds of places emerging and gaining traction, demonstrating a trend towards changing audience expectations that are going far beyond the bounds of screen content… from Outernet in London that challenges the way architecture and screens can come together, to Immersive Art spaces and experiences such as Frameless, to the absolutely huge MSG Sphere in Las Vegas.

These interactive immersive spaces blur the lines between reality and virtuality, inviting individuals of all ages to engage, collaborate, and have fun in ways never before thought possible. Made possible through new technologies such as augmented reality, real-time rendering, generative AI and personalisation.

Many of these worlds also challenge and disrupt physical space in terms of content, taking people to other imaginary spaces and worlds, to offer a bit of hope and escape in immersive spectacle. In this article, we will explore the magic of playable places, their significance, and the limitless possibilities they present to architects, content creators and brands.

A playable place can take on various forms, from traditional playgrounds and theme parks to digital gaming landscapes, augmented reality spaces and interactive screens. What distinguishes these environments is the emphasis on interactivity and the opportunity for participants to shape their experiences actively… to be active players rather than passive consumers.

Unlike passive entertainment, playable places encourage visitors to be co-creators, allowing them to influence the environment and be part of the content, the story or the experience.

The Significance of Playable Places

  1. Fostering Creativity and Imagination: Playable places serve as incubators for creativity and imagination. Whether it’s constructing intricate structures in a physical playground or crafting digital worlds in a video game, these environments provide ample opportunities for participants to express themselves freely… sometimes to create new possibilities.
  2. Promoting Physical and Mental Well-being: In the case of physical playable places, such as interactive parks and AR gaming, people are encouraged to be physically active, promoting exercise and overall well-being. Moreover, digital playable places can enhance cognitive abilities, problem-solving skills, and adaptability. We are more likely to remember something, when we experience it ourselves.
  3. Encouraging Social Interaction and Inclusion: Playable places are inherently social, fostering collaboration and camaraderie among participants. By engaging in shared experiences, individuals build connections and develop social skills that transcend the boundaries of age, gender, and cultural background. One of the core components of placemaking is around ownership, when people have been instrumental in building the world around them, they respect it more.
  4. Bridging Real and Virtual Worlds: With the rise of spatial technology such as augmented reality (AR) , real-time rendering and virtual reality (VR), playable places have evolved beyond traditional boundaries. These digital experiences can merge with physical environments, allowing users to explore interactive layers of information and entertainment.

Playable places have become transformative destinations that redefine the way we interact with our environment, both physically and virtually. By emphasizing active participation, interactivity, and creativity, these spaces inspire individuals to explore their imaginations, promote social connections, and enrich their physical and mental well-being.

Whether it’s a digital realm filled with virtual wonders or a physical playground offering adventure and joy, playable places have unlocked the magic of engagement, making our world an even more exciting and connected place.

It doesn’t have to be all about visual spectacle too, our recent Piano Steps Project with National Museums Liverpool demonstrates how simple interactive thinking, can transform something mundane into something magic.

We expect this trend toward interactive immersive spaces to continue, and even disrupt the market for Digital Out of Home Experiences. Imagine a future where our cities, towns, high streets and shared spaces are highly interactive… inviting us to be part of it, rather than a spectator.

Get in touch with us to discuss your next idea for a playable place…. we can make it happen.

Pete Woodbridge
Pete Woodbridge is a Creative Technologist with a background across virtual production, immersive technology and games engine development.

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