Success of a smart city can only be achieved when it is accepted by its citizens. It is common knowledge that a city cannot be built smart until and unless citizens do not participate in its urban and social transformation. That’s why MAtchUP, with its citizen-centric approach, focuses on the district-size for its test-stage. This size facilitates the direct contact with residents and increases their engagement and trust in the project. Three districts are touched by MAtchUP’s innovations: the Poblats Maritim in Valencia (Spain), Kepez Santral in Antalya (Turkey) and the Johannstadt in Dresden (Germany).
Of course, MAtchUP is not the only project caring about the improvement of EU cities. The German project “Sustainable Johannstadt” also puts the Dresden district at the core of its goals to improve the local quality of life.
On February 09, 2019, the project successfully kicked-off with a world-café event. About 75 residents discussed at round tables during a whole afternoon their vision for a sustainable district in the areas of energy consumption / living, mobility and alimentation. More than 50 first ideas for the transformation of the district could be collected. During the coming months, these ideas will be translated into a concrete Action Plan which will be implemented in the project’s second phase (10/2019 – 09/2022) together with the various project partners (https://www.qm-johannstadt.de/najo2025/).
An important result of the day: “Today, for the first time, I understood how the different stakeholders in our district Johannstadt work together. I am impressed what is already ongoing. These are optimal preconditions to change something” says a participant at the end of the event.
Cover picture copyright: Stadtteilverein Johannstadt
