The urban futures game: visualising neighbourhood change

Approaching the future presents a minefield of paradoxes. In 20 years a neighbourhood's urban fabric may have changed little whilst social, economic and political aspirations have shifted. Accessible, miniaturised and affordable information and communications technologies have enlarged local expectations and democratised decision making. We have the ability to make rapid physical changes, but building communities takes far longer. The Building Futures programe aims to improve the quality of future built environments through thought-provoking projects. Urban Futures is part of the Building Futures programme and explores how we can anticipate and manage change within our urban areas in order to ensure the creation and retention of good quality sustainable environments.