The project

CRAFT-MY-STREET Project is an SFI OurTech Challenge project that aims to bridge the worlds of gaming, learning and participatory decision-making processes for climate action. The project’s goal is to amplify young people's voices in society by providing playful experiences. Which is essential for addressing pressing societal challenges, including climate change and sustainability.

The project will drive capacity building and knowledge transfer, addressing crucial societal issues such as climate change and sustainability. Additionally, it will promote digital transformation in the public sector by using data and digital technologies in emerging media popular among young people. Our solution is a web-based platform which uses gamified participatory processes as a communication and feedback channel between the public sector and young citizens.

The solution

Our solution centres around the development of a playable participatory planning system (PPPS). Craft-my-street platform will become a user-friendly web-based tool for educators and local authorities that allows for the creation of site-specific Minecraft virtual spaces. Minecraft has been selected due its popularity and scalability when involving schools in the process of engaging with young citizens. A big strength of this tool is that it leverages existing open-source and official geospatial data. This means it's not just a tool; it changes how we approach learning and engagement.

Our Stakeholder Engagement

Here you can view our stakeholder engagment to date.

Join us!

Craft-my-Shore - Dublin Docklands

Brace yourselves, young builders, for a tale that blends the magic of Minecraft with the urgent challenge of climate change. Embark on an epic Minecraft adventure and join forces with a group of extraordinary visitors from a parallel dimension who have a message for you! In this journey, our interdimensional friends have discovered a mysterious portal connecting our world to theirs. Instead of doom and gloom, they bring a beacon of hope, offering us the chance to tackle climate change together. Mischievous monsters, born from the ripple effects of climate change, are threatening their world and making their climate also worse. But fear not, for Minecraft is our battleground, and nature-based solutions are our weapons! Picture this: You find yourself in a world where the waters of Dublin Docklands are on the rise. It's not a catastrophe, it's a challenge! Our interdimensional friends have unravelled the monsters' plans, and it's up to you to outsmart them.

Custom House Banner

Explore the secrets of nature-based solutions – the power of trees, the wisdom of sustainable construction, and the magic of ecosystems.

Prove your skills by designing sustainable solutions and watch as your creations come to life. But beware, Creepers will attempt to thwart your efforts! Dive into the heart of Craft-my-Shore - Dublin Docklands, where you and fellow players can reshape the city to adapt and resist to rising waters. Teamwork is key!

Three areas were identified under the imminent threat of flooding, necessitating urgent action to ensure their protection and resilience against rising waters.

The map has been created using OpenStreetMap data.

How to join

1: Register to confirm your participation in this adventure!

2: Set up your Minecraft

3: Attention to the server rules:

  • Have fun: Remember to have fun and enjoy playing on the server with other players!
  • Be kind to others: Always be respectful and kind to other players on the server, and don't say or do anything that might hurt their feelings.
  • Build things properly: Make sure to follow the rules for building on the server, such as using the right materials and building in the right areas.
  • Don't cheat: Cheating is not allowed on the server, and can ruin the fun for everyone else.
  • Talk to other players: Communicate with other players to help each other out and make the game more fun.
  • Explore and build the city: Work together with other players to build houses, streets, parks, and other cool things in the city.

4: Climate action!

Workshops

CMS Workshop Banner


In order to help us develop the Craft-my-street platform we are conducting a number of workshops with stakeholders (teachers, local authorities, researchers etc.) to showcase, educate and gather feedback to help us improve our platform. A timeline of the remaining workshops is provided below.

Workshops Timeline

Workshop 1, 2 & 3 - Gameplay design

Details

October 2023

Iterative process designing game mechanics for multiplayer online activities which promote crowdsourcing and education and made them available as templates for different game-based applications (digital and analogue).


Workshop 4 & 5 - Sense-making

Details

June 2024

Employing data mining techniques and gameplay metrics to transform players’ designs and interactions in the game environment into spatially referenced information that can be presented as quantitative 2D and 3D data and qualitative metadata, which will be later validated to be used as valuable inputs for policies.


Workshop 6 & 7 - Resources

Details

October 2024

We will work with our target stakeholder groups over two workshops to create resources on how to use these specialised game environments and mechanics for a variety of applications (e.g. engaging young people with disabilities in public service design, adapting to potential effects of climate change in the local area, etc.).


Workshop 8 - Pilot Testing

Details

September 2024

In this workshop the Minecraft game was used as a tool for children to learn about and create nature-based solutions for Swords. This interactive session invited children between 8 and 16 years old to explore Swords in Minecraft and collaboratively design their neighbourhood. More information about Dublin Climate Action Week 2024


Resources

Analog Games

Craft My Coast

Carbon Neutrality

Happy Village


Craft My Shore Game

Craft My Shore is a turn-based strategy game where you’re tasked with protecting the city from the encroaching sea.

  • Each turn you have 6 movement tokens. Buildings (red) cost 6 to move, terrain cost 2 (yellow), and vegetation (green) cost 1.
  • Your task is to protect the buildings from the approaching sea.
  • Every turn the sea will progress towards the city. Over time this rate will increase with more and more water threatening the city.
  • At the end, you can review each turn, and download your game's end state. We’d love to see these. Upload them below with your feedback.

We’d love to hear what you think. Fill out your feedback here.


Craft-my-Game Prototype

We are currently developing the 'Craft My Game' approach, where users will be able to create custom games using a simplified criteria selection framework. A current prototype of the 'Craft my Game' tool is now avaiable for use.

Alternative Link!

The team

  • Dr. Chiara Cocco

    Principal Investigator, UCD School of Architecture, Planning and Environmental Policy

  • Dr. Gabriela Martinez Sainz

    Co-Principal Investigator, UCD School of Education

  • Bairbre Meaney

    Societal Impact Champion, Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY)

Broad team

UCD School of Architecture, Planning and Environmental Policy

Dr. Ítalo de Sena
Msc. Saul Crowley
Dr. Micael Sousa
Dr. Lasith Kottawa Hewamanage
Dr. Micheál Butler
Msc. Vojtěch Brůža

UCD School of Education

Dr. Olga Ioannidou
Dr. Ashley Bough
Msc. Katelyn Stainforth
Marijke Rebel
Francesca Pignoloni

External Collaborators

Jonáš Rosecký

CRAG Participants

Oliver (9)
Tom (9)
Jesse (10)
Annalee (11)

What is new

The project is funded with the financial support of the EU Commission Recovery and Resilience Facility under the Science Foundation Ireland OurTech Challenge Grant Number 22/NCF/OT/11150