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Impacts of urban living labs on sustainability transitions : mechanisms and strategies for systemic change through experimentation

von Wirth, Timo ; Fuenfschilling, Lea LU ; Frantzeskaki, Niki and Coenen, Lars LU (2019) In European Planning Studies 27(2). p.229-257
Abstract

Urban Living Labs (ULL) are considered spaces to facilitate experimentation about sustainability solutions. ULL represent sites that allow different urban actors to design, test and learn from socio-technical innovations. However, despite their recent proliferation in the European policy sphere, the underlying processes through which ULL might be able to generate and diffuse new socio-technical configurations beyond their immediate boundaries have been largely disregarded and it remains to be examined how they contribute to urban sustainability transitions. With this study, we contribute to a better understanding of the diffusion mechanisms and strategies through which ULL (seek to) create a wider impact using the conceptual lens of... (More)

Urban Living Labs (ULL) are considered spaces to facilitate experimentation about sustainability solutions. ULL represent sites that allow different urban actors to design, test and learn from socio-technical innovations. However, despite their recent proliferation in the European policy sphere, the underlying processes through which ULL might be able to generate and diffuse new socio-technical configurations beyond their immediate boundaries have been largely disregarded and it remains to be examined how they contribute to urban sustainability transitions. With this study, we contribute to a better understanding of the diffusion mechanisms and strategies through which ULL (seek to) create a wider impact using the conceptual lens of transition studies. The mechanisms of diffusion are investigated in four distinct ULL in Rotterdam, the Netherlands and Malmö, Sweden. The empirical results indicate six specific strategies that aim to support the diffusion of innovations and know-how developed within ULL to a broader context: transformative place-making, activating network partners, replication of lab structure, education and training, stimulating entrepreneurial growth and narratives of impact.

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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
cities, experimentation, sustainability transitions; diffusion, systemic change, Urban Living Labs
in
European Planning Studies
volume
27
issue
2
pages
29 pages
publisher
Taylor & Francis
external identifiers
  • scopus:85048140489
ISSN
0965-4313
DOI
10.1080/09654313.2018.1504895
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
d47deb62-bafa-481b-b5aa-94cfb13ac980
date added to LUP
2019-01-16 10:20:04
date last changed
2024-01-15 11:26:05
@article{d47deb62-bafa-481b-b5aa-94cfb13ac980,
  abstract     = {{<p>Urban Living Labs (ULL) are considered spaces to facilitate experimentation about sustainability solutions. ULL represent sites that allow different urban actors to design, test and learn from socio-technical innovations. However, despite their recent proliferation in the European policy sphere, the underlying processes through which ULL might be able to generate and diffuse new socio-technical configurations beyond their immediate boundaries have been largely disregarded and it remains to be examined how they contribute to urban sustainability transitions. With this study, we contribute to a better understanding of the diffusion mechanisms and strategies through which ULL (seek to) create a wider impact using the conceptual lens of transition studies. The mechanisms of diffusion are investigated in four distinct ULL in Rotterdam, the Netherlands and Malmö, Sweden. The empirical results indicate six specific strategies that aim to support the diffusion of innovations and know-how developed within ULL to a broader context: transformative place-making, activating network partners, replication of lab structure, education and training, stimulating entrepreneurial growth and narratives of impact.</p>}},
  author       = {{von Wirth, Timo and Fuenfschilling, Lea and Frantzeskaki, Niki and Coenen, Lars}},
  issn         = {{0965-4313}},
  keywords     = {{cities; experimentation; sustainability transitions; diffusion; systemic change; Urban Living Labs}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{02}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{229--257}},
  publisher    = {{Taylor & Francis}},
  series       = {{European Planning Studies}},
  title        = {{Impacts of urban living labs on sustainability transitions : mechanisms and strategies for systemic change through experimentation}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09654313.2018.1504895}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/09654313.2018.1504895}},
  volume       = {{27}},
  year         = {{2019}},
}