"Smart City from our own power": WISSENSAR­CHITEKTUR developed a mission statement for Ilmenau

The WISSENSARCHITEKTUR - Laboratory of Knowledge Architecture has worked with the Thuringian Goethe and university city of Ilmenau to develop a smart city mission statement for the city. The research team applied experience from the strategy phase of the Model Project Smart City Dresden.

The federal funding program Model Projects Smart Cities aims for such cooperations. 73 German cities, including the state capital Dresden, are receiving funding to promote 'intelligent', i.e. integrated, sustainable and public welfare-oriented urban development. At the same time, the successful results are to be adapted throughout Germany. The model cities support non-funded municipalities with expertise and exemplary measures.

The WISSENSARCHITEKTUR team, which is in charge of the scientific management of the Dresden model project, has been shaping and scientifically supporting the development process of the smart city model for the city of Ilmenau since September 2023. Ilmenau adopted the motto "Smart City from our own power".

Participation process with interviews, survey and workshop

First, the research team carried out an analysis of the relevant local and overarching framework documents and accompanied the implementation of so-called guard rail interviews, in which relevant stakeholders were interviewed separately. Citizens were given the opportunity to contribute their views and ideas to the process at a broad level through online and on-site citizen participation. Over 500 people participated.

On this basis, WISSENSARCHITEKTUR held a vision workshop in November 2023 with 30 representatives from administration, business, politics and science, at which initial vision ideas were developed.

City Council accepted with large approval

These ideas were further developed in cooperation with the city administration and in a second public participation (February 2023). The City council accepted on May 16, 2024 with large approval (29: Yes, 2: No, 4 Abstentions). The mission statement is the basis for the planned creation of a smart city strategy for Ilmenau.