Smart & Prospering Cities & Planning Cities Commissions met

UBC Smart and Prospering Cities & Planning Cities Commissions met in Kiel on 14–17 June 2022

by Paulina Szewczyk | p.szewczyk@bpp.gdynia.pl

The UBC Smart and Prospering & Planning Cities Commissions held the Seminar District of the Future on 1417 June 2022 in Kiel.

25 city planners and project developers from UBC member cities: Aarhus, Gdańsk, Gdynia, Hamburg, Kaunas, Kiel, Liepāja, Pärnu, Rīga, Rostock, Söderhamn, Turku and Vaasa were discussing keys to success for the development of a ninety-two hectare former military site Holtenau Ost, where the City of Kiel is planning the District of the Future.

The Seminar was opened at the Waterkant Festival venue at Kiel Holtenau Ost on Wednesday morning. The participants were welcome by Wolfgang Schmidt (UBC Smart & Prospering Commission), Paulina Szewczyk (UBC Planning Cities Commission) and Tim Logan, (Waterkant Festival). They were introduced to the planning actualities by Fabian Kumkar (Urban Planning Department City of Kiel). Konstanze Meißner (Urban Planning Department City of Kiel) told about workshop area challenges. Mario Abel, (Yellow Z, Berlin) gave the Holtenau-Ost Masterplan overview. Later, all colleagues took the bike ride across the Holtenau-Ost area. By the end of the day all listened with great interest to very inspiring keynote speech given by Søren Leth and Lars Jensen (SLETH Office for architecture and planning, Aarhus/Copenhagen).

On Thursday, right after an input from SMACKER Interreg Project by Karolina Marszałkowska (City of Gdynia), participants took part in the Workshop. Three groups were brainstorming, discussing and working on the ideas, making drafts of the urban concepts. Common work was a great opportunity to exchange and learn from each other. In the evening participants experienced new ideas and amazing people at Waterkant Startup Festival. and the residents of Kiel, that took part in lively discussion. The dominating ideas were that the identity of Holtenau-Ost could be built on existing buildings, details and urban structures. Connections could be created in suistainable and smart way, including water taxis/ferries. The area has a potential to become a new urban centre, a destination, 5-min city with mix-use, nice public spaces and greenery. The life is already there - activities like Waterkant Festival could remain and even be extended to bring more interest to that area. There is a chance to build sustainable, all age community with smart technologies in Holtenau-Ost.

Thanks a lot Landeshauptstadt Kiel for hosting the UBC workshop and sharing your insights with us!