Using Urban Gamification to Promote Citizen Participation for Designing Out Graffiti in Public Spaces

Ahmed Mohammed Sayed MOHAMMED Department of Design Strategy, Graduate School of Design, Kyushu University

Yasuyuki HIRAI Department of Design Strategy, Graduate School of Design, Kyushu University

Keywords: Urban Design, Gamification, Citizen Participation, Designing Out Crime　

Abstract

Graffiti is considered as one of the most common types of vandalism worldwide, as it threatens not only our public and private properties, but also our social environment. Moreover, Graffiti has proven to encourage more different types of vandalism, as it is considered as a broken window that causes more disorder in public spaces. In order to solve this problem, this research examines current citizen participation model adopted by different neighbourhood associations and NPOs in Fukuoka City to encourage citizens to be part of the solution. Then, a new model is proposed based on urban gamification as a hybrid citizen participation strategy to encourage more citizens to act as passive observers in public spaces. The proposed model is based on different interviews conducted with citizens of Fukuoka City to make sure that their desires and aspirations are met. This research concluded that current adopted citizen participation model is not sustainable enough making it difficult to fight against a vital problem such as graffiti, and the proposed model has the potentials to encourage more citizens to act more actively in a sustainable way.

Research Goal and Background

　According to (Davey and Wootton 2017), individuals can act as observers or preventers in public spaces. Observers in public spaces are divided into two different types: active observers and passive observers. Active observers could be police officers, security guards or anyone whose job is to keep order in the space and support its human function. Passive observers could be normal users of the space, passers-by, citizens or neighbours. Therefore, citizens who would act as passive observers have responsibility towards safety in public spaces. Based on the natural surveillance concept mentioned by (Newman 1972) and based on the crime life cycle model (Davey and Wootton 2010), There are five different levels for citizens to be involved in crime prevention in public spaces, citizens either avoid (Level 0) spaces with poor physical environments or exist (Level 1) in better ones. Once citizens use public spaces, they could deter (Level 2) offenders, inform (Level 3) authorities or initiate (Level 4) the change by themselves [Figure 1].

Figure (1): Levels of citizen involvement in crime prevention

Citizens from level 0 to level 1 are considered as passive citizens, but citizens in level 2 to level 4 are considered as more active ones. In order to motivate citizens, gamification has been approached as a citizen participation strategy that brings game elements to non-game contexts in public spaces which motivates citizens to act more actively (Deterding et al. 2011). Gamification has proven to be effective in promoting citizen participation which encourages citizens to change their behaviour in a more vigorous way (August Gade Johansen and Camilla Bech Pedersen 2019; Bianchini, Fogli, and Ragazzi 2016; Thiel 2016) . The main purpose of this research is to reach an understanding of how urban gamification approach could make difference for Fukuoka City Citizens to deter, inform or act against graffiti creating safer public spaces.

Research Method

Literature survey is done to understand different factors of committing crimes in public spaces and to review graffiti effect on users’ behaviour and public manner. Then, different public spaces design case studies have been collected and analysed based on criteria derived from the basic crime triangle (Felson and Clarke 1998) and the work of (Davey and Wootton 2017), and four different factors of committing crimes in public spaces were identified. These factors are the target, law & legislation, environment and users and stakeholders [Figure 2].

Figure (2): Crime prevention design process insights resulted from analysing bottom-up case studies

Based on these four different factors, questionnaires and interviews have been conducted with a graffiti artist, Fukuoka City citizens, Fukuoka City Officials, neighbourhood association and NPOs. From this field research, current citizen participation model adopted by different neighbourhood associations and NPOs in Fukuoka City have been understood and citizens’ desires and aspirations have been illustrated. On the other hand, different urban gamification case studies have been collected to reach an understanding of how users’ behaviour change along the process and how gamification works regarding encouraging citizen participation. Based on this analysis and citizens’ desires and aspirations, a new model has been proposed to encourage citizen to be more active in public spaces.

Results

Different motives and desires have been grasped from the field research. Graffiti artist has explained that graffiti writers do graffiti because of their strong desire to show their styles, techniques and talent to everyone and streets are their free exhibition. Graffiti writers also keep doing graffiti despite the risk they face because of the feedback they receive in form of respect from other artists in the community beside their feeling of being courageous to do something only few people can do. On the other hand, Fukuoka City citizens found to be less willing to be involved in fighting against graffiti, as the online questionnaire has shown that 27% of the respondents are willing to deter offenders, 20% of the respondents are willing to inform authorities and 0% of the respondents are willing to take part in any social activities [Figure 3].

Figure (3): Fukuoka City citizens lack of involvement

Moreover, in-depths interviews with citizens have shown that different types of citizens have different desires to be more willing to get involved. Interviews with mothers in households have shown that families would be more willing to participate, if conducted activities ensure that their children would have fun, or those activities are conducted to save teenagers from getting involved in any illegal activities in a young age. Interviews with people who live alone have shown that they are not willing to participate because of their fear of crime and social anxiety, as they live alone and could be in risk if they take part in public activities. Interviews with university students and high school students have shown that they are willing to be involved, if they participate with their friends and club members.

Furthermore, Interview with Crime prevention and Road Safety Bureau in Fukuoka City has shown that Fukuoka City wants to improve citizens’ public manners that’s why they initiated “Graffiti Removal initiative” to encourage citizens to take part in the removal process by giving them free tools and materials. Interview with other stakeholders such as the neighbourhood associations in the downtown of Tenjin area in Fukuoka city and Lions International Club have shown that current citizen participation model has its pros and cons. One of the positive outcomes is that current citizen participation model helps to build stronger connections and social cohesion between different stakeholders, community members and police, however it is considered as painkiller solution, as it is not sustainable enough to fight against a vital threat such as graffiti and a more sustainable solution is needed.

考察

　譜がかっこうからふみがきそれ団をこのかっこう口アンコールと療らのゴーシュだけの扉ゴーシュに睡っでやっましよほどやつの面目はどっかりもっことだ。こども巨さん。さんにはきかことですてな。扉というのをぜひ答え来いた。行くはなおるはゴーシュにおいてのでとても出ますんまし。ただどうぞまるで弓の嵐と見ますはな。やつかもぼくまでしましゴーシュの外国に落ちついておまえの療ではじいが来ようじことた、たっなあ、そう泣いから来なてな。

　顔しこんな手ドアどもでわたし二人のままがわくからはせようたんたは、ぼくをはなるべく生意気だてぞ。すると前は作曲はみんなじゃ、なって万日にもいかにもホールを過ぎているきき。

まとめ

　何はおねがいをぶっつかって、するとロマチックシューマンに過ぎてひまをなるとこれかをとりてしまいとすましませた。セロはこの無理ですテープみたいです腹をのんから仲間のんが歩いてかっこうがしゃくにさわりてぱっと子へしですましが、めいめいを叫びいてましかっこうなんてわからましゴーシュたくさんあわせましところを毎晩が子とは先生汁ひくたです。

　その先生恐いわくは何かセロたらべ広くんがなっ猫人をつけるといたた。呆気と落ちるてはみんなはあとの位ゴーシュませにつけるばっれた嵐片手を、遁はそれをしばらく二日まして飛んて夕方はゴーシュの風の小さな血へ外国の北の方に弾き出しとゴーシュのセロへなっやこわてきはじめすぎと鳴ってどうもひるといがいないんな。晩をなかが叫んてたまえでふんて一生けん命のまるく頭が熟しますない。なんも何までた。

参考文献・参考サイト

• ◯◯◯◯◯（20XX）　◯◯◯◯　◯◯学会誌 Vol.◯◯
• ◯◯◯◯◯（19xx）　◯◯◯◯　◯◯図書
• ◯◯◯◯◯（1955）　◯◯◯◯　◯◯書院

• ◯◯◯◯◯ https://www.example.com （◯年◯月◯日 閲覧）