Challenge 5: The Red Light, Green Light of Inclusive Smart Cities
The Busan Learning Lab – A space that includes the citizens in every step of the way
Background information
This project is a collaboration between Next Generation City Action and K-Water. The challenge consists of developing Busan, which is the second largest city in South Korea. Busan was designated as a national pilot smart city in 2018, and went into the implementation phase in the following year.
The main objective of the challenge from the beginning was as follows:
How might we develop smart cities that are innovative and take advantage of the newest technologies while not leaving any of its citizens behind?
Busan Eco Delta City (EDC) is located in Gangseo-gu, Busan. Busan Metropolitan City, K-Water and Busan Metropolitan Corporation are the city developers of Busan EDC. A National Smart City Pilot, which is built in the Busan EDC, is designed to be a multi-functional area that encompasses various essential urban elements like housing, commercial spaces, and research and development facilities, providing an ideal environment for the implementation of advanced technologies [1].
Part of a bigger plan, the development of the National Smart City began with the implementation of a pilot Smart Village. Intended as a Living Lab, citizens were invited to inhabit 56 experimental households from January 2022 up to December 2026 [2]. During that time, these frontrunner citizens interact and come in contact with cutting edge prototypes and new technology so feedback on their experience can be collected for further improvement.
What led us to think of our solution?
The development of Busan Smart City is set to deviate from traditional approaches, as it embraces an unconventional strategy to shape the future of the city. The following quote from the master plan summary illustrates the development approach the city is pursuing.
Innovation-driven planning in all stages from the design process to implementation and operation, instead of the conventional, developer-led planning
Busan Eco Delta Smart City: Master Plan Summary
Moreover, the intention was to tackle urban challenges by actively involving citizens through diverse media platforms, thereby leaving no one behind.
Introducing The Busan Learning Lab
To help the Busan Eco Delta Smart city realize this approach, the Busan Learning Lab will serve as an inclusive space where Busan’s citizens actively participate in city development plans, as well as the testing and implementation of emerging technologies and smart solutions. The Busan Learning Lab will be a space where the citizens are encouraged to actively participate and collaborate. This can be done for example, through workshops and testing companies’ prototypes. By embracing citizen co-creation, the Busan Learning Lab not only enhances the quality of decision-making but also strengthens social cohesion and civic engagement.
What can be done in the Busan Learning Lab
Urban planning with user feedback from Busan Learning Lab
City planners can collaborate and use augmented reality technology by laser scanning the outdoor environment, to present the citizens with different scenarios in the city landscape. The citizens can use Virtual Reality goggles to become fully immersed in the experience and be able to properly give constructive feedback to the city planners.
To illustrate, the different scenarios can be whether or not to add new parking spaces, cycling lanes or trees on a sidewalk. Furthermore, they can also simulate how adding a multi-story office building will affect the whole area in terms of traffic congestion. Since those scenarios will impact the wellbeing and comfort of the citizens, it needs analysis and input from the several parties involved to proceed with the project. The German app Cityscaper is the first AR application that involves the citizens and politicians in the decisive phases [3]. There are two tracking methods used when dealing with augmented reality: the geo-localized technique and the marker-based technique [4]. The former is used where there is no infrastructure and the marker-based technique is used when there is a plan to redesign a fixed building or infrastructure. Both methods will come in handy for all kinds of ideas that the city developers might have.
Involving the citizens will give the builders/constructors more certainty in going through with the project, and will reduce many misunderstandings in the implementation phase.
Co-creation of future scenarios
Another activity that can be done in the Busan Learning Lab is co-creating future scenarios. Whenever city developers identify areas that are suitable to co-develop with the citizens they can run a co-developing session in the lab. The lab would have staff that is experienced with running co-development sessions. In addition, the lab should be aware to include participants that are representational of the demographic in the area being developed, ensuring inclusion.
The citizens (lacking) ability to express their ideas can become a stumbling block in a co-creation session. To mitigate this, technology such as AI visualization can be used, or more low fidelity prototyping can be achieved through user friendly softwares.
Another method is the “table-top solution with AR” which is a fun and interactive way where different building designs could be visualized on a table with a shared view in those sessions [4].
Finally, the city developers and the citizens can come together to discuss the vision statements that came up during the session, resulting in more informed decisions on the future plans of the city.
The co-creation process aims at promoting a feeling of community and belonging within the citizens’ experience in the smart city. Furthermore, this, not only enables citizens to have a say in the city’s development but also creates a sense of ownership and pride in their collective achievements.
Corporate testing environment in the Busan Learning Lab
In the Busan Learning Lab, the proper testing facilities will be provided to facilitate the user testing for product development process. In the lab, data collection technologies can be incorporated such as eye tracking technologies and recording equipment. Such equipment is used to determine what draws the user’s attention the most.
The companies interested in testing their prototypes will rent the lab space, and the lab will offer the needed equipment. The aim is to make this an engaging process for the citizens and a space for them to give constructive feedback. The experience can be made more engaging through additional services provided by the lab such as food catering as well as comfortable and inclusive facilities.
Afterwards, through surveys and questionnaires, data will be collected to gather input about the products/services experienced, aiming to improve future iterations based on valuable feedback.
Inspirational space for future entrepreneurs
The Busan Learning Lab should also be a space where entrepreneurs can gather, exchange ideas, and explore the latest technologies and urban developments in the city of Busan. It serves as a hub for innovation, fostering a dynamic environment that inspires and supports entrepreneurial activities. The Busan Learning Lab aims to spark creativity and inspire entrepreneurs by providing them with a dynamic environment. A way to attract startups is by providing equipment for rapid prototyping, such as 3D printers, laser cutters etc. This can be financed through pay-per-use.
Illustrating how the Busan Learning Lab can be used
How our solution fits in with the current situation
Currently as mentioned in the introduction, the Smart Village is operating with the aim of getting feedback on the citizens’ experiences with smart technology in residential and public areas. Many different technologies such as patrol robots, smart benches and electric car sharing are incorporated in the village.
The Busan Learning Lab adds on to the Smart Village experience by the fact that it serves as a community space where the citizens can get the “community center feel” and engage with each other. The lab will serve many purposes for the citizens, one of them being that it will be a fun and engaging space for them to interact with new technologies. Another purpose is that it will be a space where they can give their opinions and feel like they are being heard. Furthermore, as mentioned above, the lab will have co-creation sessions where they can also contribute their own ideas.
Value Proposition Model
The municipality of Busan will have multiple benefits associated with implementing a learning lab into their urban development. They can gain valuable feedback on current and future urban developments, that might save them from constructing expensive projects that in the end does not provide the added value that was envisioned. If the responsible entities ensure that the users of the Learning Lab are demographically representing the citizens of Busan, the Learning Lab will create an opportunity to develop a smart city that leaves no one behind. The municipality can attract private companies by providing test facilities in a central part of town, which would be expensive for each company to individually purchase. And lastly, the municipality of Busan can maintain their reputation as an innovative city that explores how the city of the future should look like, introducing a new take on democracy in the 4th industrial era.
The private companies can enjoy the benefits of not having to invest in user testing facilities themselves, and instead pay a fee to use the facilities in the learning lab. They will then have access to a location located in a central spot in the city that citizens are familiar with, which will likely easen recruiting users for user tests. Simultaneously, these companies will cultivate consumer trust, create value, and establish a positive reputation through their active involvement in the Living Lab’s activities.
The citizens will have an engaging and inviting way of impacting their city and keep notified on recent developments. They are gaining a hub where they can meet community residents, and maybe even local politicians who want to engage with the opinion of the public. It can also provide an innovative environment for start-ups to grow and develop a professional network.
Business Model
The business model for the Busan Learning Lab stands on three pillars, the Busan citizens, the government and the private sector.
The Busan Learning Lab aims at increasing the social welfare of Busan’s citizens giving them a space to take an active role in designing the future of their city by providing feedback on current and future initiatives in the urban development
We suggest that the municipality of Busan funds the construction of the learning lab and invest in the technological equipment necessary. The operating cost of the learning lab will be covered partly by public funds, and fees from companies that are using the learning labs test facilities. The learning lab will be free of charge to use for citizens of Busan, as they will contribute to the space by providing input and ideas to the city and private companies.
Roadmap
July-December 2020
A living lab-type complex with an area of 0.02km2 was constructed where citizens can already experience the future life of the Busan Eco Delta Smart City through interacting with prototypes and giving feedback. Various companies and organizations were involved in demonstrating their innovative services, the developers of the village were K-Water, Samsung C&T Corporation and Shindongah E&C. December 2021
December 2021
The selected residents move into the smart village. The village is targeted to house 200 people in 54 households, and 2 additional households were designed to be experience households. The village will remain in operation until 2026. June 2023
June 2023
The YA-DK-5 team develops this project in the 3-week course Next Generation City Action.July 2023
July 2023
The UIA World Congress of Architects takes place in Copenhagen, Denmark where the the team presents the Living Lab concept.Late 2023
Late 2023
The project will seek approvement and funding from the public developers of Busan Smart City2024
2024
The first launch of the Busan Learning Lab should be as a minimum viable solution with only the essential features and functionality- such as basic user testing equipment and augmented reality visualisations. 2024-2025
2024-2025
The Busan Learning Lab can be monitored to evaluate its effect and the value that it brings out. Improvements can then be made in further iterations. 2026
2026
If initial tests of the concepts are promising, multiple Learning Labs can then be implemented across the country.2030
2030
Busan is a candidate to host the World Expo in 2030.
Meet the Busan Learning Lab Team
Ellen Toftegaard
MSc. Design & Innovation
Email: [email protected]
Dania Pharaon
MSc. Sustainable Energy (Energy Savings)
Email: [email protected]
Carolina Sousa
MSc. Sustainable Energy (Solar Energy)
Email: [email protected]
Bogdan Capsa
MSc. Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence
Email: [email protected]
References
[1]: NGCA-2023-Challenge-Brief-5-K-Water
[2]: BUSAN ECO DELTA SMART VILLAGE LEAFLET