We are honored to have been commissioned by the Huangpu District Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese to conduct foundational research for the "Huangpu Urban Block Smartification Research" project, with the urbanDATA team supporting the Federation's efforts. On the morning of October 16, 2019, we successfully held the project symposium. Chairperson Qi and Vice Chairperson Zhang of the Huangpu District Federation, along with other committee members, attended the meeting in person, providing pioneering and constructive ideas and suggestions for the transformation of Huangpu's urban blocks.
In the era of the 5G economy, Shanghai has proposed to essentially complete the overall framework of a new generation of information infrastructure by 2021, further enhancing the city's digital, networked, and intelligent capabilities. As vital carriers of urban public activities, city blocks have surpassed the basic transportation functions of traditional streets. The focus has shifted from vehicles passing through to the people who inhabit the city—street experiences, perceptions, interactions, and engagement have become crucial metrics for measuring modern urban quality. Recognizing the importance of urban streets in enhancing spatial quality and Huangpu District's strategic significance in Shanghai's development as a global metropolis, urbanDATA Design hopes to use this symposium as a starting point. Leveraging the Federation's international and multidisciplinary expertise, the insights and discussions from participating experts will explore the possibilities of smart cities, aiming to establish Huangpu District as a flagship model for Shanghai's smart urban blocks.
Over the past three years, urbanDATA's involvement in urban renewal projects in Shanghai and other major cities has demonstrated that smart technologies can effectively enhance local economic competitiveness. Given the challenges of expanding physical space in urban cores, leveraging mature smart retrofitting and terminal technologies to improve urban management efficiency represents one of the most cost-effective paths for urban renewal. Smartification is a tool for enhancing public spaces, with the focus on smart solutions rather than the spaces themselves. Beyond aiding urban management, smart blocks can elevate service quality, deepen service penetration, build urban brands, attract foot traffic, and revitalize the local economy.
