MIA research project
WZL shows production in urban areas
The MIA research project is investigating ways of designing production in urban areas. The WZL at RWTH Aachen University has developed the "Urban Factory Lab", a tour through Aachen's Rothe Erde district on the subject of production in urban spaces.
As part of the research project "MIA - Made in Aachen - (Re-)Integration of Production in Urban Areas" funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), the Machine Tool Laboratory WZL of RWTH Aachen University, the Cybernetics Lab IMA & IfU, the Chair of Economic Geography and the Chair of Planning Theory and Urban Development are working together on an interdisciplinary basis with the Department of Economics, Science and Europe of the City of Aachen. The aim of the MIA research project is to empirically investigate the possibilities for shaping production in urban areas and to support regional development measures in Aachen.
The aim of the part of the project for which the WZL is responsible is the utilization and processing of the jointly developed results. This is intended to emphasize the integrative character of the research project and make it accessible to a broad public. The central point is the demonstration of the compatibility of production with urban structures in the "Urban Factory Lab".
The "Urban Factory Lab" is a tour on the topic of production in urban areas through the Aachen district of Rothe Erde, where the citizens of Aachen can learn about the history of production in Aachen as well as gain insights into the highly modern production facility of the company e.GO Mobile in Rothe Erde. In the real production environment, they will learn about the latest findings from science and research in combination with examples from the automotive industry.
The focus of the "Urban Factory Lab" is on experiencing production in urban spaces. It will be shown that production in urban areas can already be implemented today using city-compatible technologies and concepts. In addition, opportunities, concerns and potential conflicts can be discussed in an open exchange between residents, companies and project representatives.
On February 1, 2019, the Urban Factory Lab was officially opened by the DLR project management agency, the management level of the research project and the project members. The Urban Factory Lab is open to the public every last Friday of the month from 3.00-5.00 pm until June 2019.
Further information on the Urban Factory Lab and registration can be found at http://mia-projekt.de/urban-factory-lab. as
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