A hybrid interface for designing and building parklets Henrique Gazzola and Ana Paula Baltazar Lagear, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil Abstract This paper presents the discussion and development of an interface to deal with a physical-territorial urban context, aimed at designing and building parklets (temporary installations in parking spaces to improve overall public use). The paper starts by contextualising the parklet as a new type of urban space that was institutionalised after the diffusion of tactical urbanism open source interventions. After briefly contextualising the dialectical relationship of tactic and strategy, it explores the idea of using interfaces for autonomous production of space drawing from the concept of political agency (Baltazar and Kapp, 2009). It argues that the design of interfaces contrasts with traditional schemes of agency in architecture and urbanism, which are mainly directed towards end products. It then discusses the role of interfaces as alternatives towards autonomy of citizens in the production of space. This is possible because mediation between final users and produced spaces is no longer done directly by an appointed professional, but conducted with the use of interfaces that are ideally open and do not propose pre-shaped or prescribed solutions. Such interfaces work analogously to architects opening up access to information and imagination, but they are not judgmental of the decisions made and the solutions proposed by those who interact with them. By removing the need of architects in the direct mediation process — which is not to say that architects are not important in the design of interfaces — interfaces might foster greater autonomy for direct users in the spatial production of the city. The idea of designing interfaces for users to develop their own design solutions began to emerge in the 1960s and has recently been reinvigorated with the design focusing on democratisation using new design and digital manufacturing tools. We particularly highlight the yet little explored potential of parametric modelling tools in the democratisation of urban design and urban planning processes. The potential of these tools has been explored by a few architects to expand their own technical repertoire without sharing it with other agents directly interested in the production of space. In order to start a preliminary practical investigation into the potential of parametric modelling tools to empower common citizens to take part in decisions regarding urban design projects, we have developed an interface for designing and building parklets in urban spaces. The main objective of such an interface is to improve public use and increase the openness of spaces to unpredictable events. This paper then describes and discusses the hybrid interface designed, consisting of a modular construction system associated with a digital interface for the design of specific solutions. It is based on a discussion regarding the logic of the objects. For that we bring John Chris Jones and Vilém Flusser. The modular construction system is available in a digital interface that uses Rhinoceros’ Grasshopper plugin and intends to encourage average users to design flexible solutions for parklets. Users access the modules available (the logic of object) and are able to play with them simulating their own parklets. This paper concludes by stressing the potential of the parklet interface enabling users interested in designing and/or implementing a parklet in the city to do it with a good level of flexibility. The interface offers a system of solutions instead of proposing a single predetermined design product and seeks to address the main technical issues that could be the greatest obstacles for “novice” users to design their parklets. Stimulating the deployment of new parklets across the city, it also encourages the conversion of mono-functional urban spaces — only used as vehicle parking — into potential places for different kinds of uses. Introduction A considerable percentage of the urbanised territory of cities is dedicated to circulation. Although the Corbusean model segregating the city in 4 main functions— working, living, recreation and circulation— has been widely adopted after its proposal in the Athens Charter published after the CIAM IV in 1933, it MEDIACITY 5- Reflecting on Social Smart Cities, May 2015, Plymouth, UK 1