Keep the Balance OPEN AIR
Picture by Brigitte Vettori
What is it?
The game “Keep the Balance OPEN AIR” teaches sociocratic decision-making and inclusive moderation. Designed for public spaces, it helps groups discuss and decide on street or public space use and transformations directly on-site.
Why is it useful?
This game fosters mutual understanding and builds trust among participants. It ensures that diverse opinions are heard and considered equally. It empowers individuals to contribute to decision-making processes and supports the development of collective solutions, promoting shared ownership of outcomes.
Who should use it?
This tool can be used by facilitators such as municipalities, NGOs, cultural organisations, urban planners, educators and community groups who want to discuss specific ideas and challenges or transform public spaces. Users can be people of all ages, genders and backgrounds.
How to use it?
“Keep the Balance OPEN AIR” is best played on site – e.g. during a street or public space transformation project – but can also be played indoors. The 80 cm board is placed on the ground, surrounded by up to eight chairs for participants. A facilitator introduces the game. Players (aged 7+) take turns clockwise with coloured bottles as game pieces and share their statements on a chosen topic. The process involves several rounds: understanding the problem, proposing solutions and responding to others’ ideas. The facilitator or a player summarises the group’s input and refines the solutions until a consensus is reached. The outdoor version is designed to enhance visibility and engagement, making it ideal for promoting dialogue and co-creation in public spaces.
Example of good practices
On 13 October 2023, in Rahlgasse, Vienna’s 6th district, the sociocracy game ‘Keep the Balance OPEN AIR’ was played during a #residentialstreetlife event with six pupils from the local grammar school. The tool addressed the challenge of watering street garden plants during the summer holidays, when the usual caretakers were away. The pupils suggested asking neighbours for help, putting up a ‘Please water’ sign, or installing an irrigation system. Their final proposal – a photovoltaic-powered watering system – was later implemented in 2025 to irrigate the plants in the new parklet installed in front of the school.
The game is a further development of the board game “Keep the Balance” developed by the ©Sociocracy Centre Austria. OPEN AIR version by ©spaceandplace.at & Alain Tisserand; playing cards ‘residential streets’ by ©spaceandplace.at
Resources
The downloadable items include user manuals for the tool, along with printable components and annexes. These are listed below, and accessible by clicking on the text: