The role of nature in historic cities has been a growing debate in creating healthier environments as society pays more attention to mental and physical health. The relationship between nature, city, and community is growing in understanding but is still limited in practice. Recent research evidence that the high cultural significance of green places, where people like to spend time, positively impacts their well-being. Moreover, the community's well-being was proven to be connected to the presence of nature because of the strong emotional attachment to the greenery in historic cities.
This thesis focuses on the neighborhood Estação in Faro, Algarve, Portugal, which historically was an agricultural area but nowadays contains only a few green spaces and lacks connection with the Ria Formosa National Park (lagoon). Assumingly, these natural elements primarily convey, e.g., aesthetical and ecological values but may also bring a broader cultural significance to the community of Faro.
Participatory methods, in particular gaming, are used to reveal the values of the community. Gaming is a participatory method that enables co-creation in representing, visualizing, and redesigning architecture and the urban landscape. Both sides can learn by engaging the local community. The method supports raising awareness about values and considering them in the redesign process.