Community Consequences

In consultations about proposed urban developments, the individual’s voice often seems to be drowned out. But what would happen if every member of a community really did get what they wanted?

In Community Consequences we used the parlour game of Consequences as a playful vehicle to explore the shared interests that define a community, and to examine the roles of conversation, co-operation and compromise in designing the built environment.

To play Consequences, a word or a phrase is written down as a response to one of eleven questions. After each question, the paper is folded and passed on to the next player. The result is a collection of surreal short stories authored collectively by the group. In this version of the game, participants from community groups in and around the Coin Street area concocted a fantasy development to enhance their neighbourhood.

The stories, transformed into playful models in the gallery and courtyard, reveal the practical preoccupations and outlandish fancies of the community groups, but they also reflect their common goals and the socio-political context. A drawing table presented an opportunity for visitors to design their ideal city, and – in the role of the planning or design authority - to comment on the ideas of others.