Author(s): Petra Kempf
This paper presents a pedagogy centered on the application of play and game-based methods as tools for architectural education and design. With an emphasis on critical thinking, experimentation, and co-creation, this pedagogy positions play as a serious mode of engagement that fosters imagination, risk-taking, and collaborative learning. Drawing on historical and contemporary precedents—including Froebel, Huizinga, and design-focused “serious games”—the approach situates architectural projects as performative processes guided by rules, boundaries, and iterative exploration. The methodology is exemplified through a foundational undergraduate design studio, *Playtime: Re-inventing Kindergarten*, in which students develop an architectural language and kindergarten classroom design by creating and testing games with children, highlighting the potential of play to inform design thinking, spatial experimentation, and socially responsive engagement.
Volume Editors
Reed Kroloff & Francisco J. Rodríguez-Suárez
ISBN
978-1-944214-52-4