We are excited to share a glimpse into CCLab member Mebrure Ezgi Ismar’s master’s thesis:

Gaming as a Participatory Tool in Spatial Design: Developing of a Participatory Serious Game to Raise Awareness about Rainwater Harvesting in order to Prevent Flooding in Aachen.

Supervisors: Univ.-Prof. Dr. Jakob Beetz, Prof. Dr. Bige Tunçer, Dr. Ceren Sezer

Guided by the question “Can serious games as an educational tool be a catalyst for increasing participation in spatial design?”, Ezgi’s research explores how digital, game-based approaches can enhance citizen involvement in urban planning processes. she developed and tested a serious game that invites players to collaboratively plan rainwater harvesting strategies in urban settings — blending playful interaction with real-world challenges.

Findings reveal a growing interest in using interactive digital tools rather than conventional participation methods, pointing to the potential of games to foster more inclusive, engaging, and informed decision-making in spatial design.

Try the game on mobile via itch.io.
Curious about the game’s design? Check it out on her Behance profile.

Stay tuned for more updates on innovative tools and approaches from our team!