Re-thinking the cities in the digital era: An urban living lab concept

Abstract

Urban technologies and smart city applications have ushered in a new era in urban planning, characterized by a transformation in the structure and functioning of cities due to the unprecedented flow and distribution of information. As cities continue to experience rapid urbanization and confront complex challenges, it is imperative to adopt innovative approaches that can effectively manage urban transformation while promoting inclusivity and sustainability. In this regard, urban living labs (ULLs) have emerged as dynamic and transformative platforms that offer promising solutions for addressing urban governance and landscape transformation challenges. The concept of ULLs represents a paradigm shift in urban planning and governance, emphasizing the importance of participatory processes, co-creation, and the integration of diverse stakeholders. These living labs provide a collaborative space where urban actors, including citizens, researchers, policymakers, businesses, and civil society organizations, can come together to collectively work on urban projects, test innovative ideas, and find sustainable solutions. By fostering collaboration and experimentation, ULLs have the potential to reshape the way cities are governed and transform the urban landscape. In the Turkish context, with its prominent urbanization and rapid development, the exploration of ULLs and their potential to address urban governance and landscape transformation challenges holds particular significance. Turkiye, with its diverse urban landscape and complex governance structures, offers a unique setting to study the dynamics and effectiveness of ULLs in driving sustainable urban development. As cities in Turkiye grapple with issues such as the pressure of mega projects, intense urbanization, and the need to mitigate and adapt to the climate crisis, the role of ULLs becomes even more crucial. These labs provide an opportunity to address the poor quality of urban systems, the loss of landscape value, and the fragmented management of landscapes by various units. The exploration of ULLs in the Turkish context can shed light on how these platforms can effectively engage local governments, researchers, communities, and other stakeholders in finding innovative and sustainable solutions to complex urban challenges. The unique characteristics of Turkiye's urban landscape and governance systems present an excellent opportunity for examining the dynamics of ULLs and their potential impact on urban governance. By studying the Turkish case, we can gain valuable insights into the functioning, successes, and limitations of ULLs in addressing urban governance and landscape transformation challenges. This research aims to contribute to the existing knowledge on urban governance and ULLs by conducting a comprehensive analysis of the Turkish case, with a specific focus on Istanbul. Istanbul, as a global economic and technological center, faces significant urban challenges, including the pressure of mega projects, intense urbanization, and the need to combat climate change and adapt to global crises. These challenges have resulted in the degradation of green systems, loss of landscape value, and the fragmentation of landscape management responsibilities among different units. The focus of this thesis is to explore and analyze key aspects of urban planning and governance in the context of a new era characterized by innovation, transformation, and the emergence of urban living labs (ULLs). The thesis is divided into four sections (new planning perspective, new actor definition, new ULL model creation, and success criteria creation), each addressing specific research objectives and analysis processes. In the first section, a comprehensive literature review was conducted to examine various topics such as innovation, transformation, urban governance, smart cities, and ULLs. This review sets the foundation for understanding the emergence of a new era in urban planning, characterized by experimental governance and the rise of ULLs as transformative platforms. It also highlighted the growing importance of the lab concept as a means to foster innovation and address complex urban challenges. The second section aims to identify new urban actors. In the this chapter, the research is aimed to determine the new actors in a new era in the process of transformation while interviewing two ULLs (Basaksehir Living Lab and Eskisehir Living Lab) in Turkiye. The two labs are compared, and project contents, participant numbers, and their roles are determined through interviews. Through interviews, decision-making, actualization, collaboration, and participation, processes were established. Moreover, analysis shows that the technological transformation process is currently in the digital environment rather than redound on the spatial environment in Turkiye. While ULLs provide opportunities to adapt to technology, they have not become widespread or have not been identified yet to show limitations in cooperation and application. As a result, a new actor definition is proposed while also addressing the shortcomings of the labs in Turkiye. The third section shifts the focus to Istanbul, where a reading and research process is undertaken to propose a new model that addresses the deficiencies in the planning system and addresses the complex landscape transformation challenges faced by the city. The analysis includes a legal and administrative examination of Istanbul's landscape transformation, revealing the complexities and confusion of authority within the city. Istanbul, being an economy and technology center facing intense urbanization and the pressures of mega projects, grapples with issues such as the degradation of green systems and the loss of landscape value. These challenges, along with the global crises of climate change, rapid urbanization, and population growth highlight the need to reconsider urban governance and the role of local government in managing landscape transformation. The research aims to create/recommend a new model that strengthens the collaboration between local governments and ULLs, focusing on Istanbul's specific governance problems. Understanding the intricate governance system requires defining the urban landscape through effective management patterns. The use of ULL indicators becomes crucial in obtaining immediate solutions to technological changes, urban crises, and other pressing problems. This section also emphasizes the importance of recognizing and approaching lab success with a fresh perspective in the Turkish context. The fourth and final section investigates the success criteria of ULLs in Turkiye, with a particular focus on Basaksehir Living Lab, Bodrum Living Lab, and Istanbul Planning Agency (IPA). Through interviews with key stakeholders associated with these labs, the research aims to uncover the factors contributing to their success. The findings highlight distinct characteristics and approaches among the labs, with Basaksehir LL evolving from providing environmental and educational programs to conducting research and user-oriented activities, collaborating with academic partners, and establishing an impact evaluation system. Bodrum LL, on the other hand, focuses on problem-solving initiatives, while IPA acts as an environment provider and engages in concept-driven projects. The conclusions drawn from this analysis emphasize the need for further examination of factors such as openness, user empowerment, and transferability when assessing the success of ULLs. It also acknowledges limitations, including varying participant sizes, preferences, and diverse collaboration dynamics, which should be taken into account in future research and practice. In summary, the research seeks to advance our understanding of ULLs and their potential in addressing urban governance challenges in the Turkish context. By addressing the identified research objectives and conducting comprehensive analysis, it provides valuable insights into the new planning perspective, actor definition, ULL model creation, and success criteria. By investigating the specificities of Istanbul's governance problems and the complexities of landscape transformation, we can propose a new model that strengthens the cooperation between local governments and ULLs. Moreover, the research emphasizes the importance of defining and managing the urban landscape in order to comprehend the intricate governance system and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through the exploration of ULLs, the research aims to identify key success criteria, challenges, and opportunities, providing valuable insights for both scholarly research and practical urban governance practices. The findings and recommendations put forward in the dissertation have implications for both scholarly research and practical urban governance, offering opportunities for further exploration and the development of innovative solutions to address urban challenges and achieve the SDGs.