The participation of urban society is a key component of integrated urban development and is part of the responsibility of PlanTreff – Platform for Urban Development in Munich. A central goal is to consider the public’s perspective in the development of urban digital twins and to design applications that ensure greater transparency in planning processes and create a link between the digital and the analog.
With DIPAS (Digital Participation System), citizens can access digital maps, aerial images, plans, 3D models, urban planning designs and, above all, urban geodata from home, on the move or at events and provide precisely localized feedback on planning projects. The product from Hamburg has now also been implemented in Munich. The Department of Urban Planning and Building Regulations and the IT Department are testing the application in use. The knowledge gained from the installation and initial online participation was passed on to the project partner in Hamburg and taken into account in the planned expansion stages. The close cooperation between the three partner cities has enabled the transfer of DIPAS and the knowledge gained from it to be further developed. As a next step, the further development of DIPAS.stories will also be used in Munich.
“Thinking ahead in the city center” – the first DIPAS process carried out in Munich
Under the motto “Thinking ahead for the city center”, the Department of Urban Planning and Building Regulations in Munich is developing an action area concept for Munich’s city center in an approximately one-year process together with Munich residents and stakeholders from urban society, politics and administration. It will contain goals, implementation strategies and proposed measures for the future-oriented development of the city center. The concept is intended to cover all important topics in the city center and serve as a guide for the next 20 years.
The concept is being developed as part of a comprehensive participatory process that involves the city community, stakeholders, political bodies and the administration. DIPAS was used for the first time in Munich in October 2022 as part of this participation process.

The public and participation phase for the update of the city center concept began with a digital kick-off event. Experts explained the objectives of the action area concept and, following a series of keynote speeches on the future of Munich’s city center, the topic was explored in greater depth in a panel discussion. The event was streamed live and can be accessed as a recording here. The event also marked the start of the digital public participation process. At the end of the online dialog, 661 contributions and 819 comments had been received. The evaluation will be incorporated into the vision development.