Back2Besòs is an urban game for all ages, where players explore Besòs by finding and solving riddles, uncovering the past, and engaging with the barrio’s spaces in unconventional ways – to learn about its people, their daily lives, historical occupations and their skills.
BESÒS CONTEXT
Besòs has a complex history of urban transformations driven by the prevailing values and interests of each era—often at the expense of its residents. From the demolition of slums and industrial buildings to the construction of low-quality social housing, government interventions have repeatedly overlooked the community’s needs. More recently, projects like the Forum and 22@ have further accelerated gentrification, driving up prices and making it increasingly difficult for locals to remain in their own neighborhood.
Along with rising living costs, only 13.1% of Besòs residents have completed university studies. The decline of the industrial sector has further impacted the community, leading to a 60% drop in working-class jobs since 2008. Additionally around 22% of people in Besòs are older than 65, which makes sense when we see the statistics about the locals working situation.
When considering retired individuals, job seekers, part-time workers constrained by employer budgets, and inactive self-employed professionals, the percentage of residents who might be interested in learning or teaching new skills rises to 33.7%. This group forms our primary target audience, along with children and teenagers, who will be drawn to the game for its fun and engaging nature.
A JOURNEY THROUGH TIME
You are a time traveler looking to explore the development of Barcelona, a city that rapidly transformed from farmland to a powerful industrial city, to a modern cultural and innovative hub. But while travelling to the 1800s, while exploring the neighborhood of Besos, your time machine breaks!
In order to get back to the present you must explore Besòs to find parts from various industries around the area.
As you slowly repair your machine, you immerse yourself with the growing neighborhood and its people, slowly jumping forward to the present, where only the future awaits!
Educative website
The game’s website enhances the player experience by offering deeper historical insights and bringing wider site specific context. Through this online resource, players can explore the evolution of Besòs across different eras while contributing to its collective memory. The main features of the online platform are:
Location Insights – Learning about the historical significance of each site, engaging with urban spaces in unconventional ways.
Story Collection – Players can contribute personal stories, family histories, or local knowledge, preserving invisible narratives that shaped the area.
Labor Awareness – Discover the trades and industries that defined Besòs, from early craftsmanship to industrial labor, raising awareness about the region’s economic past.
Digital Posters – Access information from in-game posters anytime, keeping historical details readily available for further exploration.
Combined power of location research and community contributions make the educative website bridge past and present, allowing players to interact with history in a meaningful way.
Data gathering & research opportunities
The game uses player interactions with the game element s to gather valuable insights on community skills, site engagement, and historical interest.
Social Database – Tracks player skills to build a workforce database for future opportunities.
Area Heatmap – QR scans reveal popular sites, optimizing engagement and urban exploration.
Site Insights – Players contribute local knowledge, enriching historical narratives.
By leveraging in-game interactions for data collection, our game not only creates an engaging educational experience but also builds a foundation for urban research, skill mapping, and community-driven storytelling.
