Sustainable urban planning: Let's venture it

In the future, cities must deal with the consequences of climate change and continue to develop. Smart cities offer livable alternatives in this respect. Instead of being dependent on fossil fuels, they can meet the challenges of a diverse and mobile urban society. The ‘elastic’ city features flexibility in relation to demographic, digital and environmental changes. 

This requires not only a rethink of mobility systems, but also adjustments to housing strategies, retail structures, urban logistics, energy supply, and urban development. One essential requirement for implementation is often underestimated: the diverse, affordable and resilient mix of uses in neighborhoods and properties, both horizontal and vertical.

‘Let's develop sustainable real estate products. Let's venture it – more mixture!‘ 

By increasing the proportion of mixed-use structures, experts can create greater resilience for cities. Real estate can thus bring together a range of functions as the focal point of a city: vertically intermixed neighborhood hubs. On the one hand, this reduces traffic flows and local emissions, and on the other, it promotes hyperlocal meeting spaces with social and infrastructural functions. 

Requirement: A shift in the conception of real estate

A clear picture emerges when looking at current property asset classes. The asset classes are dominated by real estate products that are clearly defined in terms of use, with little scope for different uses, both in the construction phase and during the life-cycle. 

Do these clear-cut asset classes measure up to a fundamentally changing society with constantly growing challenges? 

There are limits to the flexibility of existing real estate asset classes when use of the property is considered, despite the advantages, such as market demand that can be determined, proven business models, calculable yield expectations, and structural and architectural fundamentals. 

These limits must be overcome in the interests of sustainable urban development. In order to supplement the existing asset classes with the option mixed-use urban real estate, real-life laboratories and references are needed to test operator models and usage structures for this type of real estate. The attractiveness and potential for investors would thus quickly become apparent. 

The best-known hybrid building is probably the Elbphilharmonie concert hall in Hamburg. In addition to concert halls and rehearsal rooms, the building houses 45 condominiums, a hotel with 244 rooms, a car park, restaurants, a bar, and even a public viewing platform, the Plaza, at a height of 37 meters. 

One problem, however, is that there are currently no generally applicable recipes for success in implementing mixed use. Ultimately, the Elbphilharmonie concert hall does not represent a universally transferable building. 

There are three basic requirements for mixed-use properties

1. Suitability of the location: specific requirements for mixed use, based on location and the quality of the surrounding area. 
2. Key structural-architectural concept including location image: taking into account the provider’s structure and interests, as well as the owner's structures and interests. 
3. Support for process management: supervision of the entire planning and realization phase, as well as the period of use. 

Sources:

Berding, Nina; Bukow, Wolf-D.; Cudak, Karin (2018): Die kompakte Stadt der Zukunft: Auf dem Weg zu einer inklusiven und nachhaltigen Stadtgesellschaft. Springer VS, Wiesbaden.

Trösser, Susanne (2018): Urbanität auch in Neubaugebieten schaffen: Von der horizontalen zur vertikalen Nutzungsmischung. Reihe: vhw FWS 3, Mai - Juni 2018. Selbstverlag des vhw - Bundesverband für Wohnen und Stadtentwicklung e. V., Berlin. S. 157-159.

Neumann, Tim; Ziesler, Uwe; Teich, Tobias (2020): Kooperation und Innovation für eine nachhaltige Stadtentwicklung: Forschung mit innovativen Kommunen. Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden GmbH, Wiesbaden.

Forlati, Silvia; Peer, Christian Peer (2017): Mischung: Possible! Wege zur zukunftsfähigen Nutzungsmischung. Selbstverlag der TU Wien, Wien.

Fraunhofer IAO (2022): Fraunhofer IAO Jahresbericht 2021/22 – Zukunft nachhaltig gestalten. Selbstverlag des Fraunhofer-Institut für Arbeitswirtschaft und Organisation IAO, Stuttgart.

Sustainable urban planning: Let's venture it

In the future, cities must deal with the consequences of climate change and continue to develop. Smart cities offer livable alternatives in this respect. Instead of being dependent on fossil fuels, they can meet the challenges of a diverse and mobile urban society. The ‘elastic’ city features flexibility in relation to demographic, digital and environmental changes. 

This requires not only a rethink of mobility systems, but also adjustments to housing strategies, retail structures, urban logistics, energy supply, and urban development. One essential requirement for implementation is often underestimated: the diverse, affordable and resilient mix of uses in neighborhoods and properties, both horizontal and vertical.

‘Let's develop sustainable real estate products. Let's venture it – more mixture!‘ 

By increasing the proportion of mixed-use structures, experts can create greater resilience for cities. Real estate can thus bring together a range of functions as the focal point of a city: vertically intermixed neighborhood hubs. On the one hand, this reduces traffic flows and local emissions, and on the other, it promotes hyperlocal meeting spaces with social and infrastructural functions. 

Requirement: A shift in the conception of real estate

A clear picture emerges when looking at current property asset classes. The asset classes are dominated by real estate products that are clearly defined in terms of use, with little scope for different uses, both in the construction phase and during the life-cycle. 

Do these clear-cut asset classes measure up to a fundamentally changing society with constantly growing challenges? 

There are limits to the flexibility of existing real estate asset classes when use of the property is considered, despite the advantages, such as market demand that can be determined, proven business models, calculable yield expectations, and structural and architectural fundamentals. 

These limits must be overcome in the interests of sustainable urban development. In order to supplement the existing asset classes with the option mixed-use urban real estate, real-life laboratories and references are needed to test operator models and usage structures for this type of real estate. The attractiveness and potential for investors would thus quickly become apparent. 

The best-known hybrid building is probably the Elbphilharmonie concert hall in Hamburg. In addition to concert halls and rehearsal rooms, the building houses 45 condominiums, a hotel with 244 rooms, a car park, restaurants, a bar, and even a public viewing platform, the Plaza, at a height of 37 meters. 

One problem, however, is that there are currently no generally applicable recipes for success in implementing mixed use. Ultimately, the Elbphilharmonie concert hall does not represent a universally transferable building. 

There are three basic requirements for mixed-use properties

1. Suitability of the location: specific requirements for mixed use, based on location and the quality of the surrounding area. 
2. Key structural-architectural concept including location image: taking into account the provider’s structure and interests, as well as the owner's structures and interests. 
3. Support for process management: supervision of the entire planning and realization phase, as well as the period of use. 

Sources:

Berding, Nina; Bukow, Wolf-D.; Cudak, Karin (2018): Die kompakte Stadt der Zukunft: Auf dem Weg zu einer inklusiven und nachhaltigen Stadtgesellschaft. Springer VS, Wiesbaden.

Trösser, Susanne (2018): Urbanität auch in Neubaugebieten schaffen: Von der horizontalen zur vertikalen Nutzungsmischung. Reihe: vhw FWS 3, Mai - Juni 2018. Selbstverlag des vhw - Bundesverband für Wohnen und Stadtentwicklung e. V., Berlin. S. 157-159.

Neumann, Tim; Ziesler, Uwe; Teich, Tobias (2020): Kooperation und Innovation für eine nachhaltige Stadtentwicklung: Forschung mit innovativen Kommunen. Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden GmbH, Wiesbaden.

Forlati, Silvia; Peer, Christian Peer (2017): Mischung: Possible! Wege zur zukunftsfähigen Nutzungsmischung. Selbstverlag der TU Wien, Wien.

Fraunhofer IAO (2022): Fraunhofer IAO Jahresbericht 2021/22 – Zukunft nachhaltig gestalten. Selbstverlag des Fraunhofer-Institut für Arbeitswirtschaft und Organisation IAO, Stuttgart.

Sustainable urban planning: Let's venture it

In the future, cities must deal with the consequences of climate change and continue to develop. Smart cities offer livable alternatives in this respect. Instead of being dependent on fossil fuels, they can meet the challenges of a diverse and mobile urban society. The ‘elastic’ city features flexibility in relation to demographic, digital and environmental changes. 

This requires not only a rethink of mobility systems, but also adjustments to housing strategies, retail structures, urban logistics, energy supply, and urban development. One essential requirement for implementation is often underestimated: the diverse, affordable and resilient mix of uses in neighborhoods and properties, both horizontal and vertical.

‘Let's develop sustainable real estate products. Let's venture it – more mixture!‘ 

By increasing the proportion of mixed-use structures, experts can create greater resilience for cities. Real estate can thus bring together a range of functions as the focal point of a city: vertically intermixed neighborhood hubs. On the one hand, this reduces traffic flows and local emissions, and on the other, it promotes hyperlocal meeting spaces with social and infrastructural functions. 

Requirement: A shift in the conception of real estate

A clear picture emerges when looking at current property asset classes. The asset classes are dominated by real estate products that are clearly defined in terms of use, with little scope for different uses, both in the construction phase and during the life-cycle. 

Do these clear-cut asset classes measure up to a fundamentally changing society with constantly growing challenges? 

There are limits to the flexibility of existing real estate asset classes when use of the property is considered, despite the advantages, such as market demand that can be determined, proven business models, calculable yield expectations, and structural and architectural fundamentals. 

These limits must be overcome in the interests of sustainable urban development. In order to supplement the existing asset classes with the option mixed-use urban real estate, real-life laboratories and references are needed to test operator models and usage structures for this type of real estate. The attractiveness and potential for investors would thus quickly become apparent. 

The best-known hybrid building is probably the Elbphilharmonie concert hall in Hamburg. In addition to concert halls and rehearsal rooms, the building houses 45 condominiums, a hotel with 244 rooms, a car park, restaurants, a bar, and even a public viewing platform, the Plaza, at a height of 37 meters. 

One problem, however, is that there are currently no generally applicable recipes for success in implementing mixed use. Ultimately, the Elbphilharmonie concert hall does not represent a universally transferable building. 

There are three basic requirements for mixed-use properties

1. Suitability of the location: specific requirements for mixed use, based on location and the quality of the surrounding area. 
2. Key structural-architectural concept including location image: taking into account the provider’s structure and interests, as well as the owner's structures and interests. 
3. Support for process management: supervision of the entire planning and realization phase, as well as the period of use. 

Sources:

Berding, Nina; Bukow, Wolf-D.; Cudak, Karin (2018): Die kompakte Stadt der Zukunft: Auf dem Weg zu einer inklusiven und nachhaltigen Stadtgesellschaft. Springer VS, Wiesbaden.

Trösser, Susanne (2018): Urbanität auch in Neubaugebieten schaffen: Von der horizontalen zur vertikalen Nutzungsmischung. Reihe: vhw FWS 3, Mai - Juni 2018. Selbstverlag des vhw - Bundesverband für Wohnen und Stadtentwicklung e. V., Berlin. S. 157-159.

Neumann, Tim; Ziesler, Uwe; Teich, Tobias (2020): Kooperation und Innovation für eine nachhaltige Stadtentwicklung: Forschung mit innovativen Kommunen. Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden GmbH, Wiesbaden.

Forlati, Silvia; Peer, Christian Peer (2017): Mischung: Possible! Wege zur zukunftsfähigen Nutzungsmischung. Selbstverlag der TU Wien, Wien.

Fraunhofer IAO (2022): Fraunhofer IAO Jahresbericht 2021/22 – Zukunft nachhaltig gestalten. Selbstverlag des Fraunhofer-Institut für Arbeitswirtschaft und Organisation IAO, Stuttgart.