NEWS

Tampere’s Digital Vision Wins Global Spotlight and Builds Local Connections

In Tampere, digital transformation feels anything but distant. It is tangible — lighting up streets, sparking imagination, and even inspiring playful exploration.

This summer, the city’s pioneering work reached global attention when Tampere won the Mobile World Capital Barcelona Award in the municipal category for its WeGenerate Station Area Digital Twin. The honor placed Tampere on the international map for urban innovation, validating years of collaborative experimentation. “It’s not a monetary award,” said the project team, “but it gives visibility — and that’s what fuels progress.”

Back home, the spirit of innovation continues. In September, Tampere hosted a Digital Twins Training Session with fellow WeGenerate cities. Over two days, participants explored both the technical and human sides of digital twins. The exchange left participants energised, ready to translate digital insight into local impact.

But technology here isn’t about code alone — it’s about connection. The Escape Room Game app, now in final development, will invite residents to rediscover the Library Park area by walking, playing, and sharing feedback. Nearby, children’s drawings have been transformed into glowing gobo light projections, illuminating the Laikunlava public space to make it safer and more welcoming after dark.

Senior residents are also part of the story. Recent walkability interviews at Hakametsä Sports Campus gave seniors a voice in shaping how, literally and figuratively, the city moves towards inclusivity.

Behind the scenes, the team continues collecting vital KPI and environmental data, refining heat island mapping, and expanding the CO₂ Footprint Calculator. It’s all part of the same vision: a city where digital tools help citizens understand, enjoy, and participate in improving their surroundings.

In Tampere, technology doesn’t replace human warmth — it elevates it. The city’s digital twin may be built from pixels, but its pulse comes from the people who continue to shape its human-centric vision.