Since the world entered the industrial revolution and moved into Industry 4.0, which drives industries through technology and digital systems, the policies and development plans of various countries around the globe have adapted to align with this trend. Currently, the city recognized as the world's number one Smart City is 'Vienna', Austria, which announced its urban development plan under the Smart City concept back in 2001, aiming for completion by 2050. It is one of the first cities in the world to seriously initiate urban development in the 4.0 format.

Smart City Wien

            The name of the urban development project is Smart City Wien, initiated by the Mayor of Vienna, Dr. Michael Haupl, in collaboration with Maria Vassilakou, an expert advisor in urban planning, transportation systems, climate-responsive design, energy, and urban participation. The Smart City Wien development plan has been structured into short-term (Action Plan for 2012-2015), medium-term (Roadmap for 2020 and Beyond), and long-term (Smart Energy Vision 2050), focusing on sustainable urban transformation, particularly in transportation, public health, and housing, which are fundamental factors for urban populations and are difficult to change once established. The Vienna development plan is based on three objectives:

Resource Goals: 4 Areas

  • Energy – Reduce energy consumption per capita by 40% and increase the share of renewable energy to 50% by 2050.
  • Transportation – Reduce the proportion of trips by private vehicles to below 15%, promoting walking and cycling.
  • Buildings – Set energy use standards for new buildings to be zero-energy.
  • Infrastructure – Maintain Vienna's high infrastructure standards.

Innovation Drivers: 3 Areas

  • Research, Technology, and Innovation – Position Vienna as one of the five research and innovation centers in the European Union by 2050.
  • Economy – Establish Vienna as one of the top ten regions in the EU with high purchasing power (based on per-capita GDP) and as a city where companies and multinationals are interested in establishing headquarters for Eastern and Southeast Europe.
  • Education – Provide a high-quality education system that encourages youth to pursue education beyond compulsory levels.

Quality of Life Drivers: 3 Aspects

  • Social Participation – The population in Vienna enjoys good mental health and safety, regardless of background, physical condition, mental state, sexual orientation, or gender identity.
  • Health – High-quality medical care is provided.
  • Environment – Green space accounts for over 50% of the total area.

One of the key tools used to drive the development plan is Big Data. For the city of Vienna, big data is collected from public services and infrastructure usage, such as the volume of users and their behavior regarding public transport. Data from public infrastructure users is collected and layered to create co-creation processes for urban development (Co-create) and in-depth data (Indept Data) for future urban development.

Yothi Innovation District

            Currently, over 80 major cities worldwide have announced plans to create innovation districts, such as Barcelona and Boston. In Bangkok, there is an agency striving to promote modern urban development, namely the National Innovation Agency (NIA), which has a vision for developing an innovation district in the Yothi area, leveraging its strengths as a hub for 13 medical institutions, 7,000 hospital beds, and over 8,000 outpatients daily. Additionally, there are three medical graduate organizations and two nursing colleges, along with an innovation park building ready to serve as a center for driving operations.

The Yothi Innovation District will cover the area from the BTS Wongwian Yai station to BTS Taksin Bridge, BTS Siam, and BTS Victory Monument, aiming to become a central hub for urban management, medical services, and the development of an electronic government system. It will also be a safe area for the lives and property of those working in the innovation district.

Recently, a design competition for the innovation district was held under the name INNOVATION DISTRICT DESIGN CONTEST: Medical & Health Innovation Hub, attracting significant interest from designers who submitted numerous entries. (Click to follow details)

            The operations for the Yothi Innovation District and the development of smart urban areas are ongoing. Interested parties can follow updates at National Innovation Agency.