Today, the concept of connectivity extends far beyond internet access. From self-driving cars and interactive interfaces on buildings, to artificial intelligence units such as Alexa and Siri, smart devices are becoming necessary components of our daily life. To function effectively, these devices should be connected. Across the globe, intelligent companies are working on tech products to improve transportation, social services, and health and public spaces within urban environments.

Self-driving vehicles and smart city products are promising to revolutionize the way we live and move in cities which will greatly impact the built environment. Industries and cities are steadily moving towards an approach that makes buildings and transport sustainable, conserving both energy and space.

Urbanization and the Challenges that Cities Face

Urbanization is going through an unprecedented rate of growth at a time of rapidly changing global climates, a shift in energy systems, the emergence of new mobility services, increasing migration, and decaying infrastructure.

Cities are in peril. Billions need to be spent on climate mitigation solutions and on handling urban densification, especially the conflict between cars and urban spaces. Cars take up space in city centers, space that could otherwise be used for people.

Traffic congestion and air pollution are of particular concern today. Over 70% of the CO²released into the atmosphere comes from urban centers. To combat this massive challenge, people must become more conscious of their carbon footprint, and companies and city officials should consider how to transform urban infrastructures into more sustainable and efficient environments.

There are numerous opportunities to decrease traffic: to use new technologies and mobility solutions, and to share economic trends and energy harvesting techniques. These will help to create future scenarios for sustainable cities that take a growing population into consideration.

Adding Value and Quality to Public Spaces

How can we improve the quality of cities and public spaces? As a manufacturer and supplier for innovative sun and rain protection systems with over 20 years of experience in product development, MDT-tex has naturally been thinking about innovative products for public spaces. Their product portfolio includes storm-safe umbrellas and textile architectures, which are especially important for outdoor events and marketing activities.

One good example of an effective redesign of public city space is the 2012 Dublin Meeting House Square project, a joint venture between MDT-tex and Sean Harrington architects. The four XXL umbrellas installed by MDT-tex cover approximately 900 square meters, to maximize the available outdoor space for cultural activities. Audio speakers, as well as water and electricity, are incorporated to guarantee the best benefit for visitors and inhabitants.

The founder of MDT-tex, Markus Müller-Feist, believes that installations such as the Meeting House Square can increase the quality of life by adding value to unused outdoor spaces within our cities.

Innovative Solar Charging Shelters for Cities

The shift towards smart cities with new technologies, electric mobility and data gathering approaches across the world challenged MDT-tex to develop a new product solution that addresses the complex environmental issues within and without the city.

The company made their multi-award-winning tulip shape umbrella ceilings sustainable, thus combining their significant experience in innovative urban design with an environmental mission. The SmartSolarShelter is an aesthetically appealing, new solar shelter solution, and it is available in two formats: A symmetrical mast and an asymmetrical mast. Both masts span 5.3 meters, which provide generous shading. The 15 solar panels on their surface maximize energy generation which supply the city with much-needed resources that are both renewable and sustainable.

“As a result of climate change, we have to meet the demands of increasing temperatures in cities and add electrified e-mobility to our products.” – Markus Müller-Feist

In its organic design, the SmartSolarShelter can be embedded into various environments and augmented with a wide range of accessories, from EV charging systems to media concepts for the public sector. The mast is equipped with drainage pipes which filter rainwater and store it in a covered water tank for later use.

The SmartSolarShelter is available in two different formats, with the symmetric mast and an asymmetric mast. Both formats have a span of 5,3 meters which provide a generous shading and 15 solar panels on its surface which ensure maximum energy generation.

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In its organic design, the SmartSolarShelter can be embedded into various environments and augmented with a wide range of accessories, from EV charging systems to media concepts for the public sector. The mast is equipped with drainage pipes which filter rainwater and store it in a covered water tank for later use.

The SmartSolarShelter meets the changing urban environments in our cities by tackling spatial limitations with technological innovation. As our understanding of the problem improves, more of these smart space-economizing products will become available on the market.

The post Smart Cities: Urban Solutions for Sustainable Electric Mobility appeared first on Archipreneur.

This week’s interview is with paper planes e.V., the initiative behind the project Radbahn.

The team behind paper planes e.V. consists of architects, urban planners, cultural managers and entrepreneurs. Their goal is to develop Berlin into a bike-friendly city by transforming the forgotten space underneath Berlin’s famous elevated subway line “U1” into a bike path connecting Bahnhof Zoo in the west all the way to Oberbaum bridge in the east. The vision of Radbahn is not only to create space for contemporary mobility, but also for innovation and leisure.

The team has just produced a 140-page book proving that the implementation of Radbahn is possible. Right now the people behind paper planes e.V. are engaging with decision makers, current and future partners and other coalition members to ensure that Radbahn will be build in the near future – we sure hope so!

You can help turn this vision into reality by supporting their crowdfunding campaign! See more crowdfunded architecture projects here.

We spoke with one of the members of the initiative, Matthias Heskamp, an architect who studied under Álvaro Siza for 10 years in Porto and has led projects for David Chipperfield Architects in Berlin. As the head of the association, he now dedicates himself full-time to paper planes e.V.

Enjoy the interview!

You combined your knowledge of architecture, urban planning and development and business to make Berlin a better place – at least for cyclists. Could you tell us how you met and what your respective backgrounds are?

Initiative projects usually start with a problem. In our case the problem was detected by Martti Mela, an entrepreneur, on one of these rainy days in Berlin. He rang me up, asking, why it is not possible to ride his bike underneath the elevated U1? One day later we met with a group of architect friends to examine the situation and came up with an intriguing proposal.

The team quickly grew to eight members of different fields, a professional in campaigning with business background, a cultural manager, an expert of integrational traffic planning, an urban planner and various architects.

When did you come up with the concept for Radbahn? What inspired you?

The idea arose end of September 2014. We have been working for one year on the concept for Radbahn and then launched it to the public in November 2015.

The unused, predominantly abandoned space under the elevated listed U1 construction inspired us to come up with a unique solution for covered and save cycling, space for culture and leisure activities and most important: a testbed for innovative intermodal mobility concepts and sustainable energy use.

Your concept for the Radbahn has won prices and was mentioned in the press worldwide. Why does the Radbahn not exist yet, what are the obstacles?

We got worldwide recognition for the concept, which proves that the idea has been very convincing. We were aware that at the time of going to public in November 2015, it didn’t show, how we would imagine Radbahn to be build in detail and how to solve intersections with car traffic. We sensed not only the need to come up with detailed proposals for that but further to outline the vast field of possibilities and chances for Berlin going along with the realization of Radbahn.

The result is a comprehensive study called “Radbahn Berlin”, a book with 140 pages, which we have launched recently, end of May 2017.

You have just launched a Startnext campaign. What is your goal?

Raising 17,000 Euros would allow us to finally get the book printed and start sending copies of it to key politicians and other influencers in Berlin. This is, what we achieved already thanks to the amazing support we got so far. Our next threshold is to reach 30,000 Euro to make it possible to dedicate more time to push Radbahn forward over the next three month. If we reach our goal of 40,000 Euro, we will organize a public street party in fall 2017, obviously located under the U1.

What major problems and opportunities do you think cities face in the 21^st century?

The future of quickly rising cities is painted mostly negatively. Main topics are traffic congestion and air pollution. If we would see the chance in contemporary technology, which facilitates effective ways of intermodal mobility, sharing economy, energy harvesting we would be able to create amazing scenarios for sustainable cities, scaled back to human proportion. The trend of home office working make people tend to care about there districts they are living in. Local communities help cities to face global problems.

And how about Berlin?

Berlin is a city with low density, thus it does have a lot of space to allow for pedestrian and bike-friendly infrastructure. It furthermore is high in ranking regarding people who prefer to use sustainable means of transport. Generally Berlin has a young and open spirit, which would help to position the city to be the leading one regarding a modern mobility concept.

Do you have any advice for archipreneurs who are interested in starting their own business?

The idea and conviction for a project comes first. Bring potential stakeholders on board from the very beginning. Release early stages of a project on social media, to get a sense of public recognition. Networking will allow you to share work, and have a broader community to strive for the potential realization of your initiative.

How do you see the future of the architectural profession? In which areas (outside of traditional practice) can you see major opportunities for up and coming developers and architects?

Architects will have to assume more responsibility to influence tendencies of urban developments. If the driving force would only come from investors and authorities, we would lack the vision for a comprehensive understanding of chances for the cities of tomorrow.

About Radbahn/Paper planes e.V.

The team behind the Radbahn formed a registered nonprofit association called paper planes e.V. in summer 2016. Our goal is to research innovative social and technological concepts that make urban spaces more people-oriented and environmentally friendly for more livable cities.

We believe that increasing urbanization brings with it great opportunities. If we manage to make the right investments in our cities, it will not only be possible to make our everyday environment more livable, but we can also tackle today’s major global challenges.

Our ‘paper planes’ are designed to inspire as many people as possible about the exciting opportunities of tomorrow. To make it happen, we develop concrete concepts, carry out comprehensive project planning and promote our ideas with convincing communication.

The post Radbahn for Berlin: Converting Forgotten Space for Contemporary Mobility and Innovation appeared first on Archipreneur.