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Melbourne and Tampere are continuing their exchange through IURC Community of Practice (CoP) 10, exploring how data, digital tools and artificial intelligence can support more effective citizen participation and sustainable urban development.
Building on their discussions during Melbourne’s study visit to Tampere, representatives from the two cities have explored in greater depth how digital resources can help residents engage with urban planning. Both cities are members of IURC CoP 10 on data, participation and sustainable urban development, with a shared interest in how technology can support more inclusive and informed decision-making.
A key requirement is access to sufficient, reliable data and the ability to integrate information from multiple sources. Tampere representatives presented their use of an Internet of Things platform, which provides city officials with richer and more timely data for planning while also helping improve the quality of engagement with citizens.
These resources can support social and economic decision-making while also bringing greater attention to issues such as biodiversity in urban planning. Tampere also demonstrated how artificial intelligence can make information more accessible, including through the use of a sparrow avatar that can interact conversationally with citizens of different ages.
The exchange also looked ahead to Tampere’s involvement in THRIVE—Transformative Horizons for Resilient Innovation in Virtualised Environments, a new EU project that will further develop expertise in digital twins. Tampere will participate alongside partners including Barcelona, Rotterdam and Lodz.
The project has potential relevance for Melbourne as the two cities consider how their cooperation could develop further. Their ongoing IURC exchange is providing a practical opportunity to compare approaches and explore how data and emerging digital technologies can strengthen citizen participation and support more sustainable urban development.