The Living Lab Experiment in Graz

Photo by Kaleidico from Unsplash

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Living Lab Experiment Graz, Austria

A Collaborative Approach

The Living Lab Experiment at Griesplatz in Graz involves engaging local stakeholders in the smart redesign of the square, which plays a vital role as a traffic hub. This includes residents in the vicinity, cyclists, pedestrians, and marginalized groups. The EU project (Urban Europe) and the University of Graz facilitate the Living Lab which is the second oldest and largest in Austria. The initiative has a long-term Smart City Strategy that prioritizes mobility measures, such as public transport, e-mobility, and city logistics. The University of Technology Graz is also a project partner.

Activities to foster exchange and engagement among stakeholders

The Living Lab experiment for Griesplatz consists of five phases:

1. Identifying the key stakeholders, including entrepreneurs, civil society organizations, district leaders, residents, associations, companies, landowners, and investors in the area.
2. Focusing on collecting stakeholder assumptions, interests, and expectations through workshops, public events, online platforms, and local presence. The aim is to comprehend their needs and functions for Griesplatz and its surroundings.
3. Organizing a design competition for the Griesplatz area, challenging citizens and civil society organizations to suggest their designs. Although the winning design may not be fully implemented, useful elements will be incorporated.
4. Combining the results of the design competition with stakeholder perspectives and suggestions from Phase 2 to inform the final architectural redesign of Griesplatz.
5. Evaluating the impact of the Living Lab through surveys and a joint reflection workshop.

Find out more about the initiative 

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