Transformative experimental urban research

With its interdisciplinary team from the Technical University of Munich and the Scads.AI, led by the City Science Lab of the HafenCity University Hamburg, this sub-project deals with how transformative, experimental urban research can be used to support digital tools and technologies in the sustainable transformation of cities and communities. They need to be made more adaptable, more resilient, to current and future global crises such as climate change. This includes efforts by policymakers and administrators to implement an integrated holistic urban development policy that takes into account the interests of many different stakeholders and strives for social balance. In order to research the relevant aspects of the cities involved, the team uses methods and approaches from technical and social research: quantitative and qualitative surveys, expert interviews, the experimental development of technical solutions as well as simulations and models – in some cases also using artificial intelligence.

In addition to the actual generation of knowledge, this also means supporting sustainable transformations through the use of digital applications. Special attention is therefore paid to several real-life experiments in which prototypes are tested. Building on this, the applications and procedures are to be further developed in the course of the project and established as components of Urban Digital Twins in urban planning. In addition to decision-makers in administrations and politics, citizens and civil society organisations also play a central role. Working with these stakeholders, the researchers test the digital prototypes, identify use cases and collect new data. At the same time, a scientific evaluation is carried out to examine which transformational contributions the digital applications and processes can offer with regard to various fields of action in integrated urban development.