Data-based planning laboratory for visualising complex urban contexts and integrated neighbourhood developments

The Munich Public Utilities Provider (SWM) is currently developing a showcase project for smart neighborhood developments at the site of its corporate headquarters in München Moosach, which takes into account all sustainable aspects of energy, mobility, digitization and social infrastructure. The Smart M-Quartier aims at becoming a showcase for the urban transformation of Munich into a “connected liveable city” ("München als lebenswerte vernetzte Stadt").

Creative Climate Cities was commissioned by SWM Immobilien to design a data-based planning and visualisation laboratory that would show the impacts of the solutions used in the neighbourhood and encourage the exchange of knowledge among experts and decision-makers.

Creative Climate Cities supported the SWM Immobilien team throughout the concept phase (January - July 2020), developing a number of use case scenarios for the Smart Q-Lab, e.g. in the field of energy supply, innovative mobility concepts for new neighbourhoods and solutions for networked, digital working environments in the Smart M-Quartier.

After a series of design sprints, the idea of the "Smart Q-Lab" was elaborated with more than 40 participants from SWM, enabling the prototype implementation phase to be defined. The added value of the physical laboratory lies in cross-sectoral collaboration and the translation and transfer of expert knowledge, leading to integrated smart solutions in the neighbourhood.

Creative Climate Cities worked closely with all relevant stakeholders of SWM during the process.

Concluding the project, Dr. Kuhla von Bergmann recommended external partners able to deliver the software and hardware development necessary for the implementation process and provided insights into collaborative planning instruments as well as advising on current trends in digital urban development.