GATE City Living Lab

The City Living Lab is a research unit driven by the aspiration to solve contemporary urban challenges by engaging communities and utilizing spatial data, algorithms and interdisciplinary expertise. It provides a space where innovative technologies and participatory approaches come together to create more sustainable, efficient, and livable urban environments. With a strong focus on advancing urban innovation through technology, the lab develops and implements tools such as spatial data analytics and AI-driven models to improve urban planning, environment monitoring, and sustainable mobility. It fosters community-driven urban development by creating platforms and organizing initiatives that engage local communities, businesses, and stakeholders in co-creating urban solutions. The lab promotes data-driven decision-making by utilizing diverse urban datasets to provide insights that enhance policy decisions and ensure urban development aligns with strategic planning documents. Its research infrastructure, located in Sofia’s Lozenets district, includes urban monitoring technologies such as air monitoring stations measuring air quality and environmental factors, noise sensors assessing noise pollution, pedestrian counters analysing foot traffic, and LIDAR systems tracking vehicle movements. Additionally, a DJI MATRICE 300 RTK drone is used for close-range photogrammetry and LIDAR scanning to capture the urban environment. The City Living Lab serves as a bridge between research and real-world applications, providing municipalities, planners, and businesses with the necessary data, tools, and expertise to drive urban transformation.

Areas of work:

• Education and/or Vocational Training
• Emerging Technologies (e.g. AI, AR/VR)
• Energy
• Environment/Climate Change
• Mobility
• Research
• Smart Cities and Regions
• Urban
• Zero Pollution and Decarbonization