Live Action Role-play with Trojan Horse

20 touko 2019 12:30 — 15:30

Live Action Role-Play with Trojan Horse is a session for 12 participants. You can reserve your tickets through our Eventbrite page, the event is free of charge.

 

About the Workshop

 

Welcome to take part in a Live Action Role-Play experiment hosted by Trojan Horse. LARPs are part of their ongoing practice-based research on role-playing as a research method in the fields of architecture, design and urban planning. This session will focus on the connections and interdependencies between digital and physical reality.

 

What is Live Action Role-Playing or LARP?

 

Live Action Role-Play; LARP, is a critical play for a first-person audience. In a LARP players relate to a fictional world from the first person perspective of a fictional character. The process of larping together generates a temporary community, a game world. The game can portray an imaginable world or society and can be used as a tool for studying questions such as what kind of a world is possible, what the world should or could be like – and what our world actually is like.

The great thing about role-playing is that you are acting as someone other than yourself. In the game we can safely fail, try out things that we would avoid in real life and be more adventurous, receptive and open-minded. We don't need to fear the consequences of failure which we hope could open the door for a space for exploration.

 

It sounds interesting, but also very scary. What if I don't have any prior experience of performing?

 

Don't worry. None of us is a “professional” performer, nor a LARPer. Let's get together and try it out.

 

Why do we organize this?

 

The role-play is organized because we feel it gives us as designers a chance to reflect on what we are and what we do. It's a good way to break the circle of serious work, professional consensus and relate to design in a more playful way.

 

What does science fiction got to do with Design and Architecture?

 

In our opinion, there is not much difference between design, architecture and science fiction. They are all forms of world building. Because design and architecture are based on real needs they are considered practical in nature. We do not find this distinction between design and architecture / science fiction relevant, nor necessary. We feel that it is even dangerous to forget the imaginary potential of any design and/or architectural project or practice.

 

Is there something I could read if I want to know more about role-playing?

 

There is this very interesting book about the Nordic LARP scene. (http://tampub.uta.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/95123/nordic_larp_2010.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y)

And also this manifesto (http://mikepohjola.com/turku/manifesto.html),

and this article about Bertolt Brecht, defamiliarisation and criticality (http://modesofcriticism.org/defamiliarisation-and-criticality/).