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Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
Researchers at HafenCity University Hamburg (HCU) have contributed to extend the 15- Minutes-City concept into suburban areas. In collaboration with 18 partners (including associate partners) across seven countries, the FORTHCOMING (FOsteRing THe City Of proximity through MaaS INteGration") project has successfully concluded in June 2026, advancing evidence-based strategies for proximity planning and sustainable mobility beyond dense urban cores.
Funded by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) under the Driving Urban Transitions (DUT) Partnership — co-funded by the European Commission and managed by DLR Projektträger — the FORTHCOMING project brought together universities, research centres, mobility experts, and digitalisation specialists from seven countries. By establishing six Urban Living Labs in Madrid, Hamburg, Turin, Lisbon, Debrecen, and Istanbul, the project tested how 15-Minute City principles can be adapted to suburban contexts where dispersed services and car-oriented mobility present structural barriers. The consortium evaluated 43 co-created strategies through citizen surveys and stakeholder focus groups, confirming that sustainable mobility transitions require tailored, locally grounded approaches.
Key outcomes are a harmonised Key Performance Indicator framework developed by the HCU, a transferability methodology and implementation guidebook that equip local authorities with practical tools to assess and adapt proximity-based strategies to their specific suburban conditions.
The FORTHCOMING project demonstrates that the 15-Minute City is not limited to dense urban environments. With the right planning frameworks and mobility solutions, suburban areas can also support accessible, sustainable, and people-centred daily life. The partnership has thus provided a strong foundation for continued collaboration on sustainable urban transitions across Europe.
At HCU, the project was scientifically coordinated by Jennifer Jiang at the Digital City Science Chair (Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jörg Rainer Noennig), with the support of fellow researchers and team members Dayanna de Mello Sousa, Agota Barabas, Shruti Hindocha, and Hana Elattar. The project was launched in January 2024.
More information about the research project is available under www.forthcoming.info.
Jennifer Jiang (jennifer.jiang@hcu-hamburg, Tel.: +49 40 300 880 5136), scientific coordinator
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