Hamburg is the smartest city in Germany. At least that’s what the Smart City Index says. But what does the rating actually mean?

Hamburg is the smartest city in Germany. At least according to the Smart City Index. This evaluates a total of 81 major German cities on the basis of five smart aspects: Administration, IT and telecommunications infrastructure, energy and environment, mobility, society. But what does this assessment actually achieve?

Efficient, sustainable, progressive – the number of cities pursuing a strategic smart city approach has been increasing for years. However, many of them are still struggling to define sufficiently integrated and comprehensive strategies. The “Smart City Index” digital ranking provides information on how intelligently networked Germany’s cities are to date. The index provides information on the current level of digitalization.

On behalf of the German Association for Information Technology, Telecommunications and New Media (Bitkom), 81 major German cities were examined in detail. Bitkom, which represents more than 2,700 companies in the digital industry, promotes and drives the digital transformation of the German economy and is committed to broad social participation in digital developments.

For the ranking, experts from Bitkom Research, a subsidiary of the digital association, collected, reviewed and qualified a total of around 7800 data points. The 81 cities with a population of at least 100,000 were analyzed and evaluated in five subject areas: Administration, IT and telecommunications infrastructure, energy and environment, mobility, society. How do the cities perform in the individual disciplines? Which are pioneers, which have some catching up to do?

The five areas are broken down into 35 indicators, which in turn consist of a total of 96 parameters – from online citizen services to sharing offers for mobility and intelligent waste garbage cans to broadband availability.

Hamburg is the smartest city in Germany

They are standardized, i.e. translated onto a scale from 0 to 100. In addition, innovative projects outside of the indicators considered are recorded in each topic area. Before publication, Bitkom gave the cities the opportunity to check the data and correct it if necessary. Around half of them made use of this opportunity.

The Smart City Index delivers a clear result: Hamburg is the smartest city in Germany. With smart waste, city logistics, citizen participation and open data, the Hanseatic city is particularly impressive in social and environmental issues, but achieves good results in all sub-areas. With 79.5 out of a possible 100 points, Hamburg ranks at the top of the Smart City Index by a clear margin and is the benchmark for the digitalization of municipalities in Germany. Karlsruhe (69.0 points) and Stuttgart (68.6 points) are in almost equal second and third place, closely followed by Berlin (68.1 points) and Munich (67.7 points). Karlsruhe is the car-sharing capital and impresses in the area of mobility, among others. The city is testing transport concepts of the future with innovative pilot projects, such as driverless shuttles in the autonomous driving test field. The “regiomove” project is developing an intermodal transport concept to connect the city and surrounding areas.

You can find the full text in G+L 4/2020.

The Milada Cottage in the Czech mountain village of Malá Úpa embodies modern architecture with traditional charm. Designed by the renowned Prague architecture firm ADR, the cottage blends harmoniously into the surrounding mountain landscape while offering maximum comfort for those seeking relaxation.

Milada Cottage is located in the picturesque Krkonoše Mountains, close to the Czech-Polish border. Thanks to its quiet location on a sunny meadow, the cottage offers an incomparable view of Sněžka, the highest peak in the Czech Republic. The building stands on the edge of the settlement of Nové domky and reflects the scattered building structure of the region.

The shape of the house is based on classic mountain farmhouses: A rectangular floor plan with a vertical embedding in the slope and a gabled roof characterize the appearance. Despite the traditional silhouette, ADRk clearlysets modern accents. The façade is made of untreated, black lacquered wood that blends perfectly with the rugged mountain landscape.

A classic brick wall structure was used for the building, complemented by a wooden roof and beamed ceilings. A particular highlight is the entrance, which is made of poured exposed concrete and underlines the robust aesthetics of the hut.

The Milada Cottage is specially designed for short-term rentals and offers its guests plenty of space to relax. A total of 283 m² of usable space is spread over three floors with a well thought-out room layout:

1. Basement: this is where the main entrance, a functional technical area and the spacious living area with open-plan kitchen and dining area are located. A visible concrete pillar discreetly separates the living and dining areas.
2. Second floor: The bedrooms with separate bathrooms offer guests maximum comfort and privacy.
3. Top floor: An additional sleeping area is hidden under the gabled roof and can be accessed via a separate staircase from the main bedrooms.

In the winter season, direct access from the basement to the adjacent ski slopes makes for an uncomplicated skiing experience.

Architects Aleš Lapka and Petr Kolář have opted for a mixture of modern minimalism and natural materials for the interior design. Exposed concrete and light-coloured spruce wood panelling characterize the interior of the hut. Other highlights include:

• Furniture made from bleached spruce
• Stainless steel kitchen as a contrast to the natural wood
• Black seating and warm brown tones for the dining chairs

The floor in the basement combines wooden elements with carpets and screed, while carpeted floors in the sleeping area create a warm and cozy atmosphere.

The choice of materials and construction method of Milada Cottage show an appreciation for local traditions and perfect craftsmanship. By using regional materials such as wood and brick, the house remains in harmony with the surrounding nature. At the same time, modern construction techniques ensure the sustainable implementation of the project.

The project was realized by ADR, one of the leading architectural firms in the Czech Republic. Founded in 1996 by architects Aleš Lapka and Petr Kolář, the studio has realized numerous award-winning projects at home and abroad. Their best-known works include:

• Javornická Distillery (2017) – awarded for monumental renovation
• Trautenberk Brewery (2018) – awarded for sustainable integration into the landscape
• Private Island Velaa in the Maldives – internationally recognized luxury project

By clearly combining tradition and modernity, ADR continues to set new standards in architecture.

The Milada Cottage is more than just a vacation home – it is a work of art that combines traditional architecture with modern design. For those seeking relaxation, the house offers not only breathtaking views and luxurious comfort, but also the opportunity to experience the charm of the Czech mountains up close.

For more information on this project and the ADR architecture firm, please visit:
www.adr.cz