Is it possible to get to know an entire metropolis by playing a game? In the case of the Upper Silesian-Upper Silesian Metropolis - yes, of course. "GZM Metropolis Game" is more than an educational board game. It is a combination of urban planning, technology and passion for the region, which attracts the attention of not only architects or students, but anyone who wants to discover Silesia and Zagłębie from a completely different perspective. The project was conceived by Prof. Tomasz Bradecki and a team of male and female students from the URBANMODEL research club. Their goal? To create a game that not only entertains, but also teaches, inspires and promotes metropolitan identity - using cards, a game board, augmented reality and 3D prints.
"Game of Metropolis"
© Urbanmodel
The cards, the board, the pawns - everything matters
"Game in the Metropolis of GZM" was created as an expansion of an earlier card project. It is based on a deck of cards modeled after classic playing cards, which depict characteristic places and municipalities of the GZM. Each card contains urban data - such as area, population, degree of urbanization - and QR codes leading to 3D models of selected spaces. Thanks to augmented reality, players can see the objects in the space of their own phone or tablet.
The game also includes pawns and a game board, designed as registered utility and industrial designs. The 3D-printed elements reproduce the most famous places of the metropolis: Spodek, KTW, NOSPR, Radio Station in Gliwice or Planetarium in Chorzow.
We have previously described this project on the pages of the Architektura & Biznes portal: ("Game in the metropolis" - education through play in the heart of the Upper Silesian and Zagłębie metropolis) Since then, the game has gained even more - it has been enriched with new elements, won recommendations from professional circles and the Main Prize in the Quality and Innovation category at the jubilee Gliwice Construction Fair.
Main Prize at the Gliwice Fair of Construction, Installation, Interiors and Renewable Energy Sources
© Urbanmodel
Recently it could be seen, among others, at 4 Design Days 2025, where it was very popular - both among professionals and families with children.
urbanism in practice - a game that draws you in
Unlike games such as "Monopoly," where the goal is domination over the opponent, here every player wins - because everyone gains knowledge. The game allows for gameplay of different levels of difficulty, and quiz-type questions - constantly updated online - allow to adjust the level to the participants.
Each of us once played Monopoly, of which there are several hundred variations. Our game, despite some analogies, is quite different: it contains cards, and pawns that matter, the center of the board is a real map of connections with which we can shortcut our way, and QUIZES can be constantly expanded, as they have a digital reference and different levels of difficulty. Probably many people have heard of Silesian Park and Central Park, but who knows which is bigger or if they can be compared? - says Prof. Tomasz Bradecki.
It's not just a design gadget. It's an educational tool that stays in the memory.
quiz
© Urbanmodel
As part of the "Metropolitan Learning Support Fund" program, URBANMODEL male and female students conduct workshops in high schools, where students test the game, learn through play and learn about how the metropolis works.
Paulina Siudyka, one of the game's authors, emphasizes: During the workshop, representatives from the circle present the idea of cards, their possibilities and functions through various games and games with cards. In addition, a newly developed board game based on the idea of the popular game "Monopoly" is tested during the workshop, which at the same time uses previously developed cards in gameplay.
URBANMODEL is also actively promoting the project on social media. There they publish educational posts, interesting facts about the region, quizzes inspired by the mechanics of the game, and photos of characteristic objects of the GZM Metropolis.
The project team receiving the award
© Urbanmodel
URBANMODEL Circle is trying to reach a wider audience with it by promoting the game in social-media. The circle's profiles publish posts showcasing the characteristic objects of the GZM Metropolis, which are linked to the game cards. Quizzes taken from "Metropolis" are made available, which expand knowledge about the region in an interactive way. - says Amelia Galas, a member of the URBANMODE team
The greatest value of the game - as its creators emphasize - is not the winning of a single player, but the knowledge gained and reflection on the complexity of urban space. Participants learn to compare urban data, urban planning and urban development strategies.
The game develops social competence, teaches cooperation and makes people aware of how complex processes occur in a metropolis. In fact, every player ends up winning the game, as the game inspires interest in architecture, urban planning and the functioning of urban regions," Amelia Galas stresses.
