Aventura-Europe’s longest playground structure
Written by Berliner Seilfabrik Team
It begins in a shaky fashion at the foot of Bromberg Hill. A large access net leads up to a treehouse-like tower. And this is just the beginning – the beginning of Europe’s longest climbing structure. Meandering 168 meters up the hill are a great variety of tunnels and bridges, balancing elements and rubber mats, which pass through multiple towers along the way.
Planning
“Aventura – Play Mountain” is located in Medebach, a small town and holiday resort in Hochsauerland, which attracts hikers in summer and skiers in winter. After a building phase that was completed in record time, the facility was officially opened at the end of September 2015, having already been given TÜV certification the previous month. The new “playground” is located on land provided by the town of Medebach and forms part of Center Parc, a family resort surrounded by nature. The facility can be used for free by resort guests, visitors to the region and local inhabitants alike. The idea for the construction of a large, recreational facility that was also required in some way to be the only one of its kind in Germany goes back a few years. In 2007, winter storm Kyrill left severe damage in its wake. It was Center Parc’s landscape architect and biologist, Jean Henkens who originally came up with the idea, drawing inspiration from Bromberg being known in history as “where the wind lives”. This led to the choice of air, one of the four elements, to be the underlying theme for the giant climbing structure.
The project was then further developed and implemented by the Paderborn based landscape architectural practice Gasse|Schumacher|Schramm in cooperation with Berliner Seilfabrik.
Implementation
“What makes the project unusual is its scale,” explains Marius Kotte, architect and head of the construction and development department at Berliner Seilfabrik. “Above all, we needed to pay the utmost attention to project management, since the project involved a great degree of planning and development as well as the preparation and implementation of various production processes. The challenge lay in our delivering this major order whilst not neglecting our other clients and their orders.” The project was sub-divided into nine segments, the manufacture of each segment being treated as an individual contract. Structuring the project in this way ensured its completion on schedule. Rising to the challenge of new product development during the construction process proved particularly successful. A number of innovations have been incorporated into Play Mountain: several towers are being seen for the first time, as are the connections between the segments and their connective elements, e.g. between tubes and joints. Although the tallest tower is 7.8 meters high, at no point is it possible to fall any further than the legally-permitted distance of three meters.
Nets inside lead the visitor to a long, spiralling tunnel slide. Another tower is distinguished by a special feature: by lying on a viewing net, visitors can marvel at the wonderful surrounding landscape. These towers are clad in bamboo panels. Berliner Seilfabrik selected bamboo not only because it is more durable than wood, but because it makes a smaller environmental footprint. Being a grass species, after harvesting bamboo can grow again, unlike wood.Suspended between the posts inside two towers are large cocoon-like spheres, access to these being via plate-shaped nets. It was important for these elements to be as transparent as possible while still remaining safe. With this in mind, they were enclosed in a safety net of fine mesh. Such netting was also employed where a small gully is traversed by the climbing structure, at which point a classic suspension bridge is used to cross above a cliff face. Approximately 2000 metres of bright red rope has been used for the 22 connecting elements of the structure. As well as the ever-popular net tunnels and classic suspension bridges, new transitional elements can also be seen, such as the liana bridge, a narrow net walkway suspended from long ropes, not to mention a tunnel enclosed in a rubber membrane. One segment—involving a combination of sloping and balancing—is particularly challenging. It is here that the far from fully grown visitors prove to have a distinct advantage. Also popular is the so-called chessboard bridge, comprising squares of rubber stretched between holding ropes. Here, the children can hop, sway and relax.
Foundations and Impact Protection
Close to thirty six tons of steel was delivered to the building site. Almost one hundred posts were used, the heaviest of which, at 10.4 metres long, weighed 450kg. Test drilling prior to the building phase on the upper reaches of the hill in November 2014 encountered solid rock near the surface. However, while excavating the foundations in June 2015, this rock turned out to be soft shale. The foundations for the posts had to be adjusted accordingly.
On the ground beneath the towers and platforms, the steep gradients were levelled off so as to prevent the impact protection material from being washed away by rain. In some areas wood chips were chosen for impact protection, while in others, turf was selected. The colours of both these blend in with nature while also ensuring the highest safety standards. Over time the lawn areas will change into flower meadows without compromising their impact protection properties.
The gradient of the slope is approximately 21 per cent, but can vary dramatically, at some places reaching as much as 46 per cent. The technical solutions devised by Berliner Seilfabrik allow for small modifications to be carried out to the structure on site. For example, the height of the so-called T joints, which fix rope, chains and tubing to the posts, are adjustable. This allows for any minor revisions to the plan deemed necessary in situ due to vagaries of the terrain.
For Small and Not-so-small Users Alike
Climbing to the top of the structure is not easy. But those who perhaps don’t as yet dare to go through the towers or cross the bridges can play to their heart’s content at the lower end of the facility in an area specially designed for small children. Here they are welcomed by two large nest-swings and “Trii”, a small tree house with a slide. For accompanying adults, a paved path runs parallel to the entire climbing structure.
This is a project reference of Berliner Seilfabrik, in Medebach. If you would like to create a relevant custom-made solution in Greece or Cyprus, please do not hesitate to contact with us at info@eliteareas.gr
- Published in berliner
Smart Furniture: 4 Points to adopt when engineering for smart citizens
Author: Bojana Borković, Business Development Executive at Strawberry energy
Smart and digital technologies have changed our lives so drastically in the last decade that practically, there is not an industry, field of work or creative process that doesn’t require some sort of digitalization and tech application. Architects and engineers are especially motivated to apply smart technologies, not only in order to optimize the results and improve the efficiency, but to keep up with tech trends and answer to the development of future cities and people’s lives, now completely immersed in tech.
In order to create a smart, digitized, but above all — human future cities, and deliver the real value for the communities, where the experience and quality of life of the smart tech users are a priority, we’ve assembled some guidelines that professionals from the industry might want to pay attention to and apply in their future projects.
The four key points smart furniture in public spaces should focus on are: tourism, community, disabled people and family.
Fulfilling these four points makes smart city furniture overall beneficial for the quality of life in the public spaces.
Smart Bench has already proven to be a popular and efficient project that impacts all four domains of smart furniture public realm. Apart from being a popular meeting point and complementing the city’s outdoors by appealing design, here are some important benefits that Smart Bench provides:
1. Tourism — a fast and free WiFi hotspot, essential for tourists when they want to access important information on their location, plan routes, check maps, send messages to friends and family and post to social media.
Having a smart bench in the public spaces also means never having to worry about your phone battery running out while you’re out having fun. Smart Bench offers charging cords plus wireless charging ports to suit all types of smartphones. By offering this kind of high level of connectivity, Smart Bench allows a more valuable outdoor experience for all tourists and members of the community.
2. Community — Benches in public spaces have always represented a beloved point of social interactions for young and old, but also a piece of oasis in an urban landscape. As our lives become more tech — dependent and digitized, Smart Bench needs to fulfill the social aspect and utility of the old fashion bench, but also to support the modern-day thirst for technology, smart design and sustainability. Our Smart Bench encompasses all of these properties, providing a great asset for any playground or communal area where people from the community, families can interact, take a break and enjoy the surroundings.
From the social participation point, Smart Bench represents a valuable means for the local governments to obtain information and data that may help the decision-making process when it comes to introducing bills and measures important for the quality of life of the community. The data obtained from the Smart Bench can give a better insight on foot traffic at that location, number of chargings speaks of the mobile usage and technological needs of the people frequenting that particular location etc.
3. Accessibility to disabled — It is important to emphasize the accessibility of Smart Bench to disabled persons. It is designed to be easily accessible to all people with disabilities and provide a safe and valuable experience for equal opportunities across the whole society. WiFi connection allows integration in the City IoT platform or integration in the city’s emergency control center. These possibilities are key to creating safer, more efficient smart cities and could enhance the quality of life immensely in the future, if applied throughout the urban zones.
4. Family: What every parent wants is a safe environment for their children to play, grow and learn. Smart Bench is a great asset to any playground and neighborhood. Smart Bench offers an opportunity for children to learn about renewable sources of energy, to practice responsible and sustainable behaviour and check the weather data, air quality together with their parents. Parents can charge their phones while watching the kids play, but also provide a valuable learning lesson. After they charge their phone and connect to the free WiFi network, they can talk to their youngsters about green energy and explain how our phones can be charged using nothing but solar energy. We would like to set the younger generations onto the path of preserving nature and sustainable energy resources because that is the right way to prepare them for the future where these topics will be substantial points of economic growth and overall well being of the city dwellers. Smart Bench has 0 carbon footprint and is solar-powered, allowing the members of the community to enjoy the connectivity and benefits of energy in a sustainable and responsible way.
As we head into the second decade of the 21st century, it becomes even more important that the technological progress and life improvements that come with it, stay complementary with the social and personal needs of every member of the community, families, elderly citizens and disabled. To provide a more modern but at the same time, efficient and equal opportunities benefits in the realm of smart IoT experience.
We’re here to answer any questions! Contact us at info@eliteareas.gr .
- Published in smart, strawberry
Museums, Music and Memories – Including Musical Exhibits in Museums Encourages Family Connections
Children’s museums represent one of the fastest-growing segments of the museum community and have been rapidly increasing in number since their beginnings, with new initiatives and exhibitions seeing visitor numbers swell.
With a clear message of fun and learning for all – Children’s museums are unique places that bring children, families, and communities together and provide memorable, immersive learning experiences, provoke the imagination, introduce unknown worlds and subject matters, and offer unique environments for quality time with family.
These museums incorporate an array of activities that contribute to the mental, physical, affective, and social development of children. Museum educators strive to develop programs and activities that address literacy, performing arts, science and math, visual arts, cultures, and health and wellness.
Children represent the leaders of the future – our upcoming innovators, scientists, politicians, CEOs, musicians, artists, teachers, and community members. They shape what the world will become, and engaging this audience is essential. However, while a child may be the reason behind a trip to a children’s museum, it’s an adult that makes the decision to make the visit, assess the experience and decide if they would return. Children’s museums must evolve from engaging only children to engaging the entire family to bring fresh perspectives to exhibits and programs to continue to thrive.
The interactions among family members, spurred by a visit to the museum, can result in a greater sense of family connectedness. Today, family groups come in all different shapes and sizes, from children visiting with their parents or grandparents and even great-grandparents to caregivers with children aging from babies to teens. Whereas some embrace visiting museums with a multi-generational group, it can sometimes be difficult keeping the youngest in your group engaged at the same time as the older ones.
Due to its universal appeal, music can successfully bridge intergenerational gaps. Making music brings people together like nothing else and offering quality musical opportunities – on real instruments – for spontaneous music-making, provides a gateway to the performing arts as well as an engaging family learning experience.
Music ignites all areas of child development: intellectual, social and emotional, motor, language, and overall literacy. It helps the body and the mind work together and helps children develop important skills essential for success in life, such as concentration, confidence, and self-esteem. Young children learn through play and experimentation and by watching and listening to the grownups they love. Setting an example as an enthusiastic participator in music activities is the best thing any parent or caregiver can do to help set a child on the road to a lifelong love of music. Unfortunately, some parents avoid making music with their children in everyday life because they feel inadequate as music-makers themselves. This is a true loss for both generations.
Percussion Play instruments address these feelings of inadequacy by being so simple and easy to play that anyone, regardless of age, ability, or experience, can create interesting and fresh melodies – perfect for beginners and reluctant players. The use of the pentatonic scale in many instruments makes them excellent for improvisation; you can just play around and never hit anything inordinately dissonant in a kind of safe musical haven. The technique is not a problem, given the simplicity of the instruments. Dissonance is not a problem, given the pentatonic scale.
Outdoor musical instruments, with their emphasis on family and multi-generational participation, make a welcome change; often discovery and play spaces have been perceived, either because of their design or because it was assumed, as places for kids only, and adults just stood and watched or wandered off to see the rest of the museum. Through musical play, you are teaching the power and value of music to your child. The result: a joyful, musical child, enhanced family relationships, and a strong, musical community.
Read how outdoor musical instruments were included in the Treetops Outpost at the Connor Prairie outdoor history museum, located in Indiana. The Santa Maria Valley Discovery Museum created a mini music station in their entranceway following a gift from a private donor who specifically wanted to see a musical instrument exhibit in the museum.
We appreciate that not all museums have outdoor facilities or outdoor spaces large enough to accommodate a musical garden or playground. Space was at a premium at the Building For Kids Museum in Wisconsin, but that didn’t stop the Education Coordinator creating a wonderful musical wall in their Arts Studio. For further inspiration check out our case study where the Minnesota Children’s Museum created the exhibit ‘Creativity Jam’ – a musical playground, featuring five Percussion Play instruments, that allows visitors to quite literally jam with family, friends and other visitors, all indoors.
Such shared music-making can facilitate and strengthen relationships between parents or caregivers and their children. What’s more, with all our instruments being designed with inclusive play in mind – nobody is excluded from the fun whatever their ability, mobility, or age. Providing musical experiences for family audiences (indoors or out) is a valuable way to advance a thriving museum’s mission, expand its audience, and strengthen its place within the community.
- Published in percussion-play
Future of Play
Written by David Flanigan, Director of Market Development at Yalp Interactive
The integration of technology and play is a winning combination
Look at me! I am standing under the newly installed Yalp Sona Interactive dance and play arch at the JFK Park in Reynoldsburg, OH, the birthplace of the tomato (notice the custom flooring with the tomato). When I visited our good friends at Midstates Recreation, I had the opportunity to visit this playground and see first hand the excitement that kids had when playing on it. Their sheer joy and laughter was clear proof that the integration of technology and play is a winning combination.
Bringing play from the digital world and the physical world together
We all know that kids are spending countless hours in front of a screen, not only for gaming and social media but due to COVID, many kids are attending school virtually. What will the future be like for kids if they are addicted to their screens and don’t want to go outside and play? What will draw them outside to play and have fun without being tethered to a device? Do we simply take away all technology from kids and force them to be outside? We all know that is not a solution. However, there is another way! How about bringing together the digital world with the physical world? That’s exactly how the team at Yalp Interactive thinks about interactive play. Yalp Interactive playgrounds are designed to be fun, encourage creativity, promote physical activity, have the ability to “level up” in the games, and get kids outside.
And, since the interactives are connected to the cloud, users can track usage data statistics, upload new games and adjust settings remotely. As technology continues to advance across the globe, there is a growing trend for cities to become SMART cities. This includes having wifi hotspots and technology integration in public spaces, including parks. Recently, the Luskin Center at UCLA published SMART Parks: A toolkit. This toolkit is aimed at “park managers, designers, advocates, and anyone who wishes to learn how technology can be incorporated into parks.” While there may be questions and reservations about integrating technology into public spaces, there is no doubt this trend will continue to grow.
Play is fundamental to child development
While we can’t fully predict the future, we know that play will continue to be a fundamental part of child development. In fact, play is something we all need regardless of our age. That is why it is imperative that we look at how technology can be used to encourage kids to get outside, play longer, and come back outside again. The Yalp Interactive playgrounds are the perfect solution!
We’re here to answer any questions! Contact us at info@eliteareas.gr .
- Published in Technology, yalp
Open the doors for Smart Bench Mini Indoor Version
Meet the newest asset in our smart furniture portfolio
Following the great success of our solar Smart Benches, we can proudly announce that the Smart Bench Mini indoor version is coming this winter!
Ever since the first Smart Benches started emerging in cities across Europe, companies and property developers have recognized the opportunity to join the smart city drift, enhance their property investment and deliver the designated brand message to consumers in an innovative, engaging, and meaningful way. Today, our Smart Benches are present in over 50 cities throughout Europe, Middle East, USA and Australia.
Why an indoor version?
It’s not hard to see why companies have often approached us with requests for an indoor version of our popular Smart Bench.
People use Smart Bench to relax, enjoy the public spaces, charge their phones and connect to the free WiFi through the landing page. While they enjoy the benefits of connectivity and power, they also:
- Associate the brand message with something innovative, and beneficial.
- Understand that the company cares, and is interested in giving back to the community.
- See that the company keeps track with the modern technology and new generation’s needs
That kind of message is much harder to transfer with traditional means of OOH marketing.
Now the companies want the same type of benefit for consumers and visibility for the brand, only transferred to indoor spaces. The logic is clear:
If a branded Smart Bench with free WiFi and customizable landing page worked so well at raising the visibility of the brand and engaging people at the city squares and public parks, then it might work even better at places where people are more often in need of power and connectivity: airports, railway stations, big shopping malls, corporate buildings etc.
Love at first sit 🙂
Our new Smart Bench for indoors features all the functionalities of the outdoor version with one difference — there is no solar panel on the seating area.
The design is sleek and modern without sharp edges, smooth, made of high-quality materials. It’s guaranteed to blend in and enhance the interior whether it’s a big hall, corporate lobby, busy railway station or airport lounge.
Smart Bench Mini for indoors is outfitted with two charging slots for cable charging and two wireless charging spots. WiFi connection is fast and stable, and is accessed through a customizable landing page.
Welcome to the era of Digital Street Furniture
Smart Bench Mini indoor version caters to needs of modern citizens.
Busy halls of railway stations are places with very high foot traffic. And just as public phone booths used to be the usual inventory at such places, today, the mobile era has given us all the convenience of being one click away from a call, information and digital social interaction. Think of Smart Bench Mini as the 21st century descendant of an old fashioned phone booth. With branding space for your company’s message. That kind of brand visibility and engagement would be much harder to achieve with traditional OOH marketing.
Smart Bench Mini is the ideal vehicle to bridge the gap between the old OOH marketing and new digitally equipped consumer.
Estate owners and investors are always looking for ways to enhance their properties and distinguish them from the rest of the offer on an over-saturated property development market. By introducing Smart Bench Mini to their estates, they create an added value and make their properties smarter, ready to join the smart city evolution and keep the pace with the ongoing digital transformation.
Airports are the perfect places to showcase the power of Smart Bench Mini. While people wait to board their flights, their usual pass time is a smart phone. Browsing social media, playing online games, messaging friends and family.
The Internet and power are the key. Smart Bench Mini offers both.
In order to connect to the free WiFi, users go to a landing page that brands can customize in accordance to the season, important brand events, offers etc. That interconnection of user’s and brand’s benefit is what makes Smart Bench Mini a winning product.
Smart Bench Mini installed at the shopping mall is a cool hangout and relaxation point where shoppers can take a break, charge their phones, and use free WiFi. The branding on the Smart Bench Mini and customized brand message on the landing page catch the attention of each Smart Bench user and creates the opportunity for companies to post suitable offers and deals efficiently and measure the results.
The same concept can be applied to gyms, sport centers, hospitality locations, and corporate buildings. Real-estate development is a highly competitive industry. Incorporating proptech such as Smart Bench Mini, can have a huge impact on setting the estate apart.
Smart Bench Mini can also be a great addition to a big venue, arena, or even a company event. It’s not only a social interaction point with the benefit of WiFi and power slots, but also a way to show extra care for the attendees in a distinctive and memorable manner.
We’re here to answer any questions! Contact us at info@eliteareas.gr .
- Published in smart, strawberry
Smart Zoo, happy children and happy animals! 📱🐨
Skopje Zoo plays an important role in educational, cultural and recreational life in North Macedonia. It covers an area of 12 ha, and has a collection of more than 500 animals. It has an economic part, a workshop, a veterinary clinic, an amusement park for children, an educational center.
Problem Description
Skopje Zoo holds practical classes for students from kindergartens, primary and secondary schools, as well as scientific research. During the walks and classes, there is possibility of powering off the devices (mobile phones, tablets) because of empty battery as well as the problem with the availability of cellular network.
Solution
Thanks to the installation of Smart benches based on solar energy, the visitors of the zoo can recharge their devices; they can connect to a faster Wi-Fi network, which can help them to do their basic and scientific research. Also, Wi-Fi connection through the benches can redirect the visitors to some interesting and inaccessible places among the zoo (tracking and watching the hidden animals in their living places thanks to the installed video cameras).
Client’s success with Strawberry Smart Benches
Smart benches located in the beginning of the zoo among their functionalities offer the access to internet and zoo app, so the visitors can buy a single or group ticket online, which is more than a desired option for the recommended physical distance during the pandemic time. So there is no queue in front of the ticket office (which can be considered as a relieve opportunity in birthday organizations). The project called “Shared knowledge”, enables visitors to scan the QR code on the board placed in front of each animal and get information about it, through articles on Wikipedia related to the animal/s.
Personal quote from the client
“Skopje Zoo is one of the most visited institutions in the country. It brings a lot of smiles to the visitors (especially to the children). We appreciate a lot of having the Smart Benches in our area because people can take an infinite number of photos and videos of the animals (regardless of the battery life of their devices), and because of the option of free WiFi, the Zoo can be promoted on social media by tagging the location. Visitors can discover the colorful and diverse wildlife of Skopje Zoo. Happy pictures can be exposed in the classrooms of the kindergartens, primary and secondary schools, emphasizing the concept of joy and happiness, which will be a challenge for another visit in the zoo.” Skopje Zoo Manager
We’re here to answer any questions! Contact us at info@eliteareas.gr .
- Published in smart, strawberry
Our Top Five Outdoor Musical Instruments for Inclusive Communities
Music gives everyone a voice, and making music together can build a harmonious, cooperative spirit of support and encouragement for us all.
Inclusion is about engagement and often the lack of opportunity to get involved can be as significant a barrier as the nature of a person’s disability. The creation of holistic accessible outdoor music spaces, where many of the barriers that prevent a person from accessing music (whatever they might be) can be removed, will allow all members of the community the opportunity to experience live music as both a performer and listener – building shared musical and play experiences and in turn an understanding that will only help inclusion to grow.
After all, that is exactly what inclusive communities should be about: creating opportunities for us to share experiences, learn together, and maybe most importantly to have great fun together!
Music can have a profound effect on anyone, but the rewards of exposing people within the disabled community to live music-making opportunities can be huge. Making music can provide a fun and non-threatening outlet for creative and emotional expression and through the medium of music, many essential life skills can be learned or developed. However, with a severe lack of accessible musical instruments for people with varied physical abilities, people with disabilities are often excluded from making music. We want to break down the barriers of ability in music and aim to make the outdoor musical instruments within our range accessible to as many people as possible.
1. The Duo
Individuals with autism spectrum disorder often find it difficult to look others in the eyes as they find eye contact uncomfortable or stressful. The shape and offset note layout of the Duo allows for close social interaction without forcing close physical proximity. Players can interact with each other in a safe space without the need for direct eye contact, offering the chance for players to explore and experience creativity non-verbally through a shared moment together.
2. Rainbow Sambas
The multi-sensory act of drumming has a unique blend of physical activity, coordination, and musicality. As a set of five, the colorful Rainbow Sambas allows a small group to drum together to help develop social skills. This collaborative and interactive process has a lot of benefits for all children, with or without disabilities. They will learn to share, listen, pay attention, take cues from each other, and take turns. The vibration of the drum lid will engage the tactile system of the player, however, perhaps the most obvious benefit is the ease of expression – an opportunity to drum out feelings without needing to talk about things they cannot or do not want to.
3. Papilio
The wide-span and suspended notes of the Papilio ensure wheelchair users can play and have equal amounts of creative fun, side-by-side with their peers, family, or therapist. Both the height and angle of the notes ensure maximum comfort for up to four players to interact, experiment with sound, and develop mobility skills.
4. Tubular Bells
Music is felt on a physical level by everyone – including people living with sensory impairment. When arranged in a horseshoe formation, the Tubular Bells create a wonderful surround-sound effect you can ‘feel’ with noticeable vibrations for anyone standing or seated in the middle of the shape. Players with sensory loss can use the vibration of the instrument to help them touch the sound they create which intensifies along with the level of movement and strength of the ‘strike’. Sound is vibration and vibration is tactile. You can ‘feel’ sound by touch and this combination of mobility and tactile stimulation, vibration, and music, make the Tubular Bells a powerful tool for cognitive and movement therapy.
5. Large Babel Drum
The easy-on-the-ear pentatonic scale used on our Babel Drum means you can play the calming, peaceful notes in any order to create a pleasing melody. Each note will seamlessly flow together in harmony, making it a great instrument and wonderful tool for finding inner peace, with their pleasant and relaxing sounds creating a calming restorative environment. Occupational therapists, music therapists, and child behavioral therapists find these drums to be beneficial in their practice. Playing them can help improve coordination, overcome physical difficulties, promote self-expression, and instill a greater level of confidence in the player’s abilities. Furthermore, their soothing sounds make them an excellent choice for children and adults with auditory processing difficulties.
There is no right or wrong in music, but the harmonic pentatonic scales used on most of our outdoor musical instruments allow the players to feel safe to experiment with self-expression. This leads to a sense of achievement, increased self-esteem, and confidence which can be transferred to other areas of their lives. Through playing the instruments, players can express their emotions, develop a sense of rhythm, support their physical development, develop communication skills, and benefit from auditory and tactile stimulation.
- Published in percussion-play
5 Reasons you should be thrilled about Smart Cities
Don’t move out of the city yet! Things are changing!
Can you give a quick YES or NO, answer to this question:
Do you think that big cities like Los Angeles, Paris, Sao Paolo or Hong Kong, will still be the places where people would want to start a family 50 years from now?
If your answer is NO, then what would it take for them to become more livable, to take care of everybody’s needs?
Free public transport? Complete transition to renewable sources of energy? A U-turn in traffic and overall infrastructure development?
There is really only one correct answer: They need to become SMART CITIES.
Here are top 5 ways smart cities can enhance the quality of people’s lives:
1. Smart cities are data-driven — traffic data, weather conditions, transportation routes, congestions, all data is processed in a centralized city system and citizens are informed of the best options to avoid delays or problems during their daily commutes and routines.
2. Smart cities are people centered. They include real people’s habits and mobility in decision making. This helps city planners in creating the best possible solutions to reduce crowds, prevent high energy consumptions and plan more green spaces where necessary. Traffic jams, garbage disposal, city parking, are all better monitored if smart city technology is implemented, and it can ultimately help citizens manage their routines and tasks in the most efficient way.
3. Smart cities are sustainable — They encourage and explore options for sourcing renewable energy and lowering carbon footprint in urban areas: energy-efficient buildings, air quality and noise level sensors, electric vehicles, they are all part of the city wide solutions for sustainable development.
4. Smart cities are safer — IoT and other smart city technologies can help first responders in getting critical information on an incident faster and with more reliability. Smart street furniture like Smart Benches, smart bus stops, can be connected to emergency services network and provide an easily accessible S.O.S. call. Possibilities are endless and there are many ways in which smart city technology like IoT can increase residents’ safety.
5. Authorities get faster and better feedback from citizens — Well connected and informed citizens are more likely to be involved in current city issues, to engage in the local community and report problems. When city authorities provide apps and smart IoT systems that enable faster and easier feedback, more citizens are inclined to report the local problems and engage, which leads to better insights in real and pressing problems of the people living in certain area.
We see smart urban street furniture as an integral part of smart city development. Our solar Smart Bench networks already help local governments and companies in more than 23 cities to make better decisions about public places, promote their brands and deliver important info in a sustainable and interesting way.
We have a very developed and vibrant partnership network, contact us if you are considering expanding your portfolio!
To improve your company’s CSR, have a look at our most popular street solar furniture and contact us to get a specially tailored, affordable offer!
We’re here to answer any questions! Contact us at info@eliteareas.gr .
- Published in smart, strawberry
How the Municipality of Tanagra finds Smart Bench Mini the perfect initial step forward to Smart Cities
The Municipality of Tanagra is located in Boeοtia, north of Athens, Greece. Since 1956, the 114th Combat Wing of the Hellenic Air Force has been based in Tanagra Air Base. There are 19,432 permanent citizens, and 5 municipality units; Dervenochoria, Dilesi, Oinofyta, Schimatari and Tanagra.
PROBLEM DESCRIPTION
Pandemic Situation has affected all of us. Since March of 2020, Greece has been under lockdown restrictions for many months. The Municipality of Tanagra wanted to welcome 2021 with an innovative way so as to present an optimistic feeling of development and care to its citizens. Providing something smart, sustainable, with informative character would be the ideal solution.
SOLUTION
Smart Bench Mini was the right choice for Tanagra initiatives towards “Smart City” future. 5 Strawberry Smart Benches were installed, one in each municipality unit of Tanagra, providing free WiFi internet access to all citizens. Powered by solar energy, the Mini Smart Benches of Strawberry energy are completely aligned with the ecofriendly behavior of Tanagra, while providing to citizens wired and wireless phone charging ability. The resistant and durable materials of benches were also very important, as Tanagra Municipality faces many days of snowing and low degrees during each winter.
CLIENT’S SUCCESS WITH OUR PRODUCT
Besides the lockdown restrictions, which only permit movement of citizens for very specific reasons, such us going to work, or exercise, more than 900 citizens used the profits of Mini Smart Benches in less than 3 months. The satisfaction of citizens was huge, and the received feedback very positive. Besides the numbers and the welcoming comments, Municipality of Tanagra is proud to be introducing innovative outdoor solutions and stepping forward to the sustainable future of “Smart Cities”.
“The Municipality of Tanagra is a pioneer, incorporating advanced technological solutions in the daily life of its citizens. The purchasing of 5 Mini Smart Benches, signals the development of “Smart City” networks, offering free services of WiFi, phone-charging capability, and thus improving the quality of life of citizens, within the terms of a more sustainable way of life.” Vasilis Pergalias, Mayor of Municipality Tanagra
We’re here to answer any questions! Contact us at info@eliteareas.gr .
- Published in smart, strawberry
Smart city and the future of advertising
|Wolt’s innovative way to reach customers in Belgrade
The beginning of 2021 marked a new chapter in our commercial partnerships.
The worldwide leading food delivery company Wolt, decided to take their commitment to sustainability and smart technology to the next level!
Wolt chose our Smart Benches to further promote eco-awareness, drive innovation for its brand, educate the citizens about renewable energy and animate its consumers in a more meaningful way.
For this project, Wolt opted for the classic Smart Bench design that offers a lot of branding surface. They have many plans for a customizable landing page that opens when users connect to the WiFi — special promo codes, discounts on a wide range of their services. This is a great way to attract potential customers, connect with them “on the go” and introduce new offers in an organic way, through a memorable experience.
Wolt is a company with a great track record when it comes to sustainability. Their delivery workers use bikes instead of cars or mopeds, and new Smart Benches will surely be beneficial to them. When their phones run out of battery (which happens a lot), Smart Benches at several locations in the city center guarantee fast charging slots, reliable WiFi connection and of course, a nice place to take a break.
We are going through the times when due to pandemic, advertising and CSR budgets are substantially cut in order to preserve human resources and secure production or the smooth run of the company’s core business. Investing in a long term solution that delivers a blend of OOH and digital advertising seems like a smart option.
Upgrade customer’s experience!
We’re here to answer any questions! Contact us at info@eliteareas.gr .
- Published in smart, strawberry
