Accepted Research Papers

Following the evaluation procedure the OLLD research committee has accepted the research papers. All papers reflect on the theme of the conference “The city as a lab, but now for real. Re-working open innovation environments for inclusive, green and digital transition through emerging technologies” and have been classified according to its sub-topics. These are Society, Governance, Green & sustainable, Transformation and Beyond the city.

Top Selected papers by the Evaluation Committee

  • Service co-design fostering migrants’ integration - The case of easyRights Living Lab
  • Building Mobilaînés: a One-Stop Transportation Planning Service Co-Designed by and for Older Adults
  • Social System Design Methodology for Transitioning to a New Social Structure - To realize holistic co-creation practices, not just partial ones in Japan
  • How to ensure a long-term perspective for Nature-based Solutions? The case of proGIreg Living Lab in Turin
  • Urban Living Lab Heerlen (ULL) and Aurora Flat intervention for urban vitality
  • Development of a Living Lab Co-Creation Tool Considering Japanese Characteristics
These papers will be presented on DAY1 (Tuesday, 21 September) at the Top Contribution Research Session (11.00-12.30).

Building Mobilaînés: a One-Stop Transportation Planning Service Co-Designed by and for Older Adults

Dany BAILLARGEON, Véronique PROVENCHER, Bessam ABDULRAZAK, Patrick BOISSY, Mélanie LEVASSEUR, Nathalie DELLI-COLLI, Hélène PIGOT, Mélisa AUDET, Catherine GIRARD, Sara BAHRAMPOOR GIVI, Sahar TAHIR

Keywords:    

Older adults; Living Lab; Mobility; Transportation; Information System

Abstract: Among the many challenges of an aging population, mobility is an important issue that has a significant impact on the quality of life of older people and their social participation. Despite an asymmetrically developed offer of transportation services from one city to another, older adults do not necessarily use them, partly because they do not know which ones are adapted to their needs and preferences. This living lab aims to develop Mobilaînés, a one-stop platform transportation planning service combining different transport modes and services to help older adults move around in their community where, when, and how they wish. In its second phase (the designing of a web interface), the project brings together different disciplines and partners from different sectors and older adults. This paper focuses on the first phase and the beginning of the second one to report the main findings, the challenges encountered in building the first age-friendly mobility solution in Quebec. 

Service co-design fostering migrants’ integration - The case of easyRights Living Lab

By Maryam Karimi (Politecnico di Milano), Maria Vitaller del Olmo (Aalborg University), Andy Peruccon (Aalborg University), Grazia Concilio (Politecnico di Milano), Nicola Morelli (Aalborg University)

Keywords:    

Co-design, integration, migrants, enabling, multilayer, service ecosystems

Abstract: Living Labs share certain elements that consist of focusing on the co-creation of innovations in a real-world context, involving multiple stakeholders with the objective of generating sustainable values for all stakeholders and particularly focusing on the endusers. For engaging end-users in the innovation process, a high number of methods and tools exist. The challenge resides in selecting the appropriate means for each of the phases, especially when the challenges address socially vulnerable groups, particularly migrants and their communities. This paper explores the challenges of the creation of the easyRights Living Lab as part of the H2020 easyRights project, aimed at improving the integration of migrant communities in four European cities – namely Birmingham (United Kingdom), Larissa (Greece), Malaga (Spain), and Palermo (Italy). By emphasising the significant role of the co-design approach in the exploration, experimentation, and evaluation phases of the innovative development of local services, the paper explores how it is possible to enable social innovation in a co-creative and participatory framework that fosters inclusivity among a complex ecosystem of stakeholders, directly and indirectly, engaged with migrant communities in Europe. Some results of the easyRights Living Lab in the form of a wikispace show how a co-design, co-creation, co-experimentation, and co-evaluation of the activities can orient towards fostering the integration and inclusion of migrants’ communities.

Social System Design Methodology for Transitioning to a New Social Structure

By Atsunobu Kimura, Hisashi Haraguchi, Yutaka Yamauchi, Katsuta Matsuura

Keywords:    

Social System Design Methodology, Sustainability Transition, Urban Living Labs

Abstract: Social system design in this paper is intended to achieve a comprehensive transition to a new social system, rather than overcoming partial social problems. In Japan, approaches to transforming society, such as elections and social activism, are not fully functional. Transition to a new social structure requires critiques from inside with the presentation of concrete activities. We propose a systematized social system design methodology that aims at a principled transition, based on analysis of recent practices developed in Omuta City, Fukuoka Prefecture. 

How to ensure a long-term perspective for Nature-based Solutions? The case of proGIreg Living Lab in Turin

By Federico Cuomo, Luca Battisti, Riccardo Saraco, Egidio Dansero

Keywords:    

Urban Living Labs; Nature-based Solutions; proGIreg; maintenance; replicability; policy tools.

Abstract: Nature-based Solutions (NbS) are cost-effective actions or infrastructures based on natural processes capable of generating social, health, economic and environmental benefits for urban communities. NbS are increasingly being planned and developed by engaging citizens in Urban Living Labs (ULLs), co-production spaces where local governments, private companies and academies empower citizens to experiment with innovative solutions able to tackle complex problems of contemporary society. However, at the end of ULLs, many local governments struggle to find policy devices that might guarantee long-term maintenance and opportunities of replicability to NbS. Grounding on the case of study of proGIreg Living Lab in Turin, this paper suggests three main policy-tools that can be used by local governments to keep maintaining, developing and replicating NbS beyond the timeframe imposed by temporary ULLs. 

Placemaking in the Urban Living Lab Heerlen and Aurora flat courtyard intervention: learning towards urban vitality in vulnerable and cultural diverse neighbourhoods

Stefano Blezer, Nurhan Abujidi and Herwin Sap.

Keywords:    

Urban Living Labs Co creation, Placemaking, Urban intervention, Urban Vitality

Abstract: The neighbourhood GMS in Heerlen Noord, the Netherlands, is one of the 16 Dutch neighbourhoods that need extra focus to its livability and socio economic challenges due to the historical development in the area and its current stigma in society. Placemaking as a planning philosophy and urban living labs as a planning approach both offer potential to address GMS its current urban challenges and reinvent itself as an area by drawing upon its unique values. In fact, this paper shows that while doing so and taking into account its local urban complexity is helpful to enable an inclusive participatory process from the start as well as including the multitude of local values to generate a physical intervention in place to seek transformation Parallel, it shows the relevance of urban living labs as an infrastructure for innovation in education and being capable of enhancing student learning through interdisciplinary collaboration among urban stakeholders involved.

Development of a Living Lab Co-Creation Tool Considering Japanese Characteristics

By Keiichi KITAZUME, Mari TAKAKU, and Keigo KUBOTA

Keywords:    

Living Labs, Co-creation, tool development, Japanese characteristics

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to develop a co-creation tool that takes into account the characteristics of Japanese people in order to develop new urban policies for aging society of Japan. First, we extracted relevant characteristics of Japanese people, pointed out the possibility that these characteristics might hinder the co-creation process, and proposed a tool to improve the co-creation process. The tool is designed to specify short-term and long-term values and to add corresponding activities, which is appropriate for Japanese people who are able to proceed with discussions in a cooperative manner while taking into account the opinions of other stakeholders. This tailor-made process, adapted to the characteristics of each people, can be applied to the development of co-creation tools for people in each country.