The smarticipate consortium gathered in partner city Hamburg on 21 June 2016 to discuss progress and chart the way forward for the project. Led by project coordinator Dr Joachim Rix of Fraunhofer Institut for Computer Graphics Research IGD and hosted in the offices of the Landesbetrieb Geoinformation und Vermessung, the meeting looked at the technical details of how the smarticipate platform can meet the needs of various stakeholders.
The meeting was attended by all three city partners: hosts Hamburg, the City of Rome, and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, as well as project partners the University of the West of England, the Austrian Institute of Technology, GeoVille Informationssysteme und Datenverarbeitung, ICLEI European Secretariat, wetransform GmbH, and We Love the City. Each partner presented progress within their relevant work package.
The day finished with a tour of Hamburg’s impressive development project “Hafen City”, a waterfront area of the inner city being sustainably transformed into a high density area for businesses and residents. Those who live in Hafen City have amenities such as schools and shops within walking distance, creating a pleasant, liveable area. Public transport lines are being installed to provide easy access to other parts of the city, an initiative of particular importance for commuters.
Buildings in Hafen City are subject to strict sustainability criteria, and are among the most energy efficient in the region. Through Hafen City, Hamburg has extended the inner city in a way that minimises urban sprawl, breathing new life into a previously under-developed area.