The challenges for city centers are becoming increasingly complex. This also demands something from downtown management in those cities. Without a good understanding of this downtown dynamics, it’s sailing in the fog. For over three years, Argaleo has been on the market with its data dashboard Digitwin. Digitwin provides a growing overview of current, objective, and data-driven information, translated into an accessible dashboard. With this, parties can make decisions together based on facts and solid analyses. No more fragile snapshots, but continuous insight into how the city center functions. To better support the challenges of the city center with smart insights, Argaleo has sought collaboration with downtown specialists Stefan van Aarle and Robin van der Helm.
Keeping the city center attractive requires substantial investments. What is the best new functional mix? How do the different buildings characterize themselves? Where are new homes being built? What is parking behavior? How do we make the city center car-free in a practical way? Where is space for greening? How do visitors move through the city? These are many questions that play a role in managing city centers. In addition, interests in a city center can sometimes conflict, and in such discussions, nothing is as difficult as the lack of facts. What are we really talking about together? The answer to such questions must be found in a ‘fact-based’ and ‘real-time’ overview of all relevant information. With this, together with all stakeholders, the right decisions can be made, faster and cheaper than before.
Former alderman Robin van der Helm works with his consultancy Van Der Helm Consultancy daily on the complex transformation of city centers. He has been seeking a better connection between his work and the possibilities of ‘data’ for years. “In the transformation of city centers, it is important to know why you do what you do. Before you make decisions about converting buildings, adding homes, or the broader transformation of an area, you need to first know where you stand. How do visitors and residents move through the city, what is the relationship between the different areas, how are parking facilities used, what developments are visible in the transport modality of visitors and residents, and what does a broad analysis of downtown real estate show? Without this insight, you cannot steer.”
From loose data to integrated decisions
Of course, the downtown professional can independently collect and interpret their own sources, but a system in which the data is already available and presented in context has many advantages. Think, for example, about the transformation of shops into homes. “By mapping and tracking the gradual development of visitor flows through the city, it is possible to apply that transformation in the right place and align it with the city’s plans. Additionally, it is also important to know exactly what the current parking behavior is and how a change of function within that space can be incorporated. This cannot be done through a single count or analysis, but requires an ongoing view of numbers and effects.” according to van der Helm.
Stefan van Aarle, owner of StadsKracht and specialized in downtown development, retail, transformation, and center management, explains: “I support and advise parties throughout the country in their efforts toward a vital and future-proof city center. Where there is never a shortage of commitment and passion, smart use of data is unfortunately not always guaranteed. Outdated (external) research or guidance based on assumptions still too often form the basis for major decisions about the future. However, the challenges city centers face today require hard (real-time) figures and comprehensive insight into how the entire center functions, as well as the different areas and streets.”
Collaboration with experts
Digitwin is an ideal tool for downtown managers who need better information. With the data-driven insights in this dashboard, the professional easily monitors and improves downtown management. “Digitwin is a dashboard that integrates all information. Think about visitor numbers, parking information, weather information, and information about established businesses in the city. In addition, you also save time: five hours of (search) work can now be done in five minutes”. Thus Yvonne van der Steijn, Business Developer Downtown at Argaleo. “I notice in the field that people react enthusiastically to the dashboard. Downtown managers can make decisions more objectively and based on current, reliable data. That helps in collaboration with their stakeholders and in following the course toward vital and thriving center areas.”
In collaboration with van Aarle and van der Helm, Digitwin is being developed to continuously provide more relevant information in the right format, support city centers in adopting data-driven monitoring of policy, and identify challenges for the city centers of tomorrow. The men see the effects of the dashboard in their work already. The conviction that building the future of city centers requires this form of knowledge and insight motivates them to encourage and challenge everyone to also take this step. Let any limited ‘digital skills’ not be a barrier. Together with Argaleo, we make the world of data also accessible for professionals who work hard every day for ‘their’ city center.
More information?
For more information or a demonstration of the Digitwin dashboard for city centers, you can contact Jeroen Steenbakkers, jeroen@argaleo.com, +31629326841
more news
Sign up now for our newsletter and stay updated on our digital twin innovations!
Together with the City of Tilburg, Argaleo is building a digital foundation for the full urban resilience challenge on the Digitwin platform. The first application: the emergency support point scan.
Jeroen Steenbakkers was a guest on the podcast Over AI in de Stad, discussing how governments can use AI responsibly in spatial planning.
How far are the supermarket, GP and school for every neighbourhood in the Netherlands? Accessibility scores for 14,515 CBS neighbourhoods. Commissioned by SmartwayZ and the province of Noord-Brabant.
How we help Amsterdam manage its quay wall renovation programme with a Digitwin: a digital cityscape that brings infrastructure data, planning and mobility together on one map.
Argaleo Digitwin provided real-time crowd monitoring and traffic management during the KNVB Cup Final AZ-NEC at De Kuip. Learn how AI-powered technology contributes to safe events.