CityScope Costanera is a tangible platform that outlines the Costanera neighborhood of Concepcion, Biobío Chile. The Costanera de Concepción is a historical space of interaction between the city and the river, composed of the Pedro del Río, Aurora de Chile and Pedro de Valdivia neighborhoods. The CityScope, a shared, interactive computation tool, was developed by the team's data scientists and designers and is on display in the City Science Lab on Arturo Prat Avenue in central Concepcion. The visual platform, and its central location, give an opportunity for local stakeholders to gather and understand current scenarios and metrics related to the community. Teams will use the tool to assess current conditions in the community, and model design, technology, and public policy interventions that may improve the economic vibrancy, social integration, and well-being of residents. For this purpose, accessibility indicators to amenities, health, education, and parks were used, as well as indicators of density, diversity of activities, and urban design. In addition, the team will measure the potential impacts of proposed urban planning projects in the neighborhoods. This will be achieved in collaboration with the communities, aiming to enhance the impact of the interventions proposed in public plans through projects designed to improve public spaces and mobility.
Conventional approaches to upgrading informal communities typically focus on providing residents with proper dwellings and related utilities such as potable water, power, and sanitation. This process often involves clearing the site and relocating residents to newly constructed housing, creating a “bedroom community” that lacks amenities, jobs, and space for local enterprises. Communities are often physically dispersed, social ties are disrupted, and few new economic opportunities are created.
CityLab Biobío project will focus on developing proposals designed to increase wealth within the community, promote entrepreneurship, build stronger community social ties, create connections to other districts and the waterfront, and provide the full range of services and amenities needed by the community.