Morgenstadt—A German View of the City of the Future

Abstract

Cities which are considered as one of the largest future markets in the world continue to develop innovative technologies and intelligent concepts leading to sustainable development. Urbanization, climate change, growing online culture, ageing populations all call for an innovative solution. Researcher communities all over the world are constantly drafting various concepts and recommendations for smart cities which have solutions to such problems. Cities in Germany are making significant efforts to develop smart and innovative administrative, cultural, educational, and infrastructural practices through connected technologies. Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering (IAO) initiated the Innovation Network “Morgenstadt” which means City of the future. Morgenstadt serves as a neutral knowledge platform for the integration of various approaches to find solution to such complex dynamics. A consortium of twelve Fraunhofer Institutes spread across Germany contributing to their technical expertise for the joint processing of arguments for the “city of the future”. The synthesis of above-mentioned aspects which deal with Urban manufacturing, visual communication and shared economy-based approach have a potential to lend the city a unique profile which is vitally important for the city’s future economic development. These constitute the framework within which future economic profile of a city regions are determined.