City of the Future Ludwigsburg: Co-Creation in Urban Development Processes

In the face of the trend towards digitization, the consensus that successful urban solutions shall collectively be conceived and developed as a societal task is becoming increasingly present (Sorensen & Torfing, 2016). As we cannot elude the digitization of our built surroundings and everyday lives, we can make use of technology in a way that cities become more livable for the individual and address overarching goals such as sustainability and resilience. In addition to a variety of conventional and innovative participation methods, digital tools create options for integrating local actors into decision-making and implementation processes relevant to urban development. But what do new integrated approaches look like? How is it ensured that the impulses of a heterogeneous stakeholder landscape are equally respected? And how can cities commit to incorporating the results created in open ideation processes within traditional urban planning? In order to develop new and successful solutions to existing problems, co-creation focuses on the cooperation of transdisciplinary actors who jointly address challenges in a "process of creation" (Dork & Monteye, 2011). In this context, practical experience is considered as equally valuable as expertise knowledge and specialized skills. Thus, regardless of professional backgrounds, in such a co-creation process solutions are developed at eye level, from the initial idea to the (prototype) implementation. In relation to the wide variety of urban challenges we are currently facing, co-creation approaches offer a new format for stakeholder participation in urban development processes. Moreover, they promise the creation of holistic and sustainable (systems’) solutions with a great innovative potential (Mulder, 2014). This paper is based on the projetct »City of the Future Ludwigsburg« which is funded by the German Ministry of Research and Education (BMBF) as part of the »Flagship Initiative City of the Future«. Within this initiative, local stakeholders, communities, businesses, the creative industries, civil society representatives and the scientific community cooperate in Ludwigsburg in order to implement processes and recommendations for action in Germany’s future cities. As part of the three-phase tendering, in the city of Ludwigsburg the first phase focused on the joint development of a comprehensive concept for the planning and implementation of a sustainable and holistic vision 2030+. Against this background, currently phase two addresses digitization and urban space amongst others by hosting three consecutive events in the so-called »Makeathon« format. They address the future of urban space and urban development with a focus on digital solutions. To carry out these events, a workshop space was implemented which is called »urban laboratory« (Stadtlabor). Within this lab innovative ideas and possible measures for "upgrading" public space are identified and evaluated with regard to their overall benefits and their potential to improve their quality (Stadtverwaltung Ludwigsburg, 2018). The aim of the joint research project between Fraunhofer IAO and the city of Ludwigsburg is to test the structured co-creation process as a new governance format. Thus, impulses with regards to content and processes can be given for the city administration and politics, that flow into strategies as well as plans.