• Global Metropolis Berlin – International Perspectives on Urban Development and Mobility. Image by Fionn Grosse via Unsplash

    Global Metropolis Berlin – International Perspectives on Urban Development and Mobility. Image by Fionn Grosse via Unsplash

    29.01.2026

    Urban Development Congress 2026: What visions are shaping the cities of tomorrow?

How can metropolitan areas remain resilient in the face of climate change, rising traffic volumes, housing shortages and limited space? What visions are driving the cities of tomorrow – and where is Berlin itself leading the way? On 28 January 2026, the Urban Development Congress took place at the Berlin Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IHK Berlin) in the Ludwig Erhard Haus in Charlottenburg. In an election year, leading figures from politics, public administration, business and civil society discussed the major urban challenges of our time together with international experts.

One of the key topics at the Urban Development Congress 2026 was the future of public transport and the vision of making it reliable, affordable and accessible across the entire city – a particularly important issue for Berlin. “One of the visions shaping the cities of tomorrow may seem rather unspectacular at first glance: mixed-use development. But behind this term lies a concept that defines what urbanity will mean in the future and how it can be actively shaped,” explains Brain City Berlin ambassador and HTW professor Dr Florian Koch.

“Mixed-use neighbourhoods, short distances, diverse local services for different population groups, or the creation of multifunctional spaces – so-called ‘multiple-use concepts’ – are current trends in urban development. This is ecological, among other things because it reduces land consumption, for example for transport infrastructure. At the same time, it strengthens urban life, as cities are used and animated by different groups through a variety of functions.”

Berlin’s Future Trends

A forward-looking perspective was provided by the session on EXPO 2035 Berlin. The bid is currently underway and supported by the association Global Goals for Berlin. Its aim is to transform Berlin and turn it into a model metropolis for the 21st century. Based on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, the entire city is intended to become an exhibition.

Start-ups were also represented, including STOFF2. The young company is developing a new technology for the production of green hydrogen at the Berlin innovation site “Berlin TXL – Urban Tech Republic”. Another start-up, regenmodule, created in cooperation with Humboldt University of Berlin, presented innovative urban furniture. These elements include integrated rainwater storage systems that collect precipitation from surrounding roofs and use it to irrigate urban greenery.

Sustainable Smart City Berlin

The Urban Development Congress 2026 highlighted the importance of learning from international pioneers. At the same time, Berlin itself has much to offer. Brain City Berlin ambassador Prof. Dr Florian Koch emphasises: “As a tolerant and open city with a highly diverse population, Berlin is particularly well suited to combining different functions in a compact space – and to demonstrating how urban life can thrive even in times of digitalisation, social isolation and exclusion.”

These are precisely the issues addressed in the research project Sustainable Smart Cities at HTW Berlin, which takes an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approach. Mobility, energy supply, construction, and the preservation of spaces for work, shopping, leisure and living are all closely interconnected. Buildings, neighbourhoods and cities cannot be viewed in isolation; they influence and depend on one another.

The HTW campus itself serves as a real-world laboratory for the project. Here, systems and social practices of the Sustainable Smart City of the future can be tested and experienced. This facilitates dialogue and exchange with stakeholders from academia, business, politics, public administration and society, ensuring a wide range of perspectives.

Read more about Florian Koch's work: 

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