Developing technology, policy, and place in a dynamic urban testbed
The challenge
The Municipality of The Hague aimed to develop a Smart City infrastructure along the Scheveningen coastline, integrating technology to enhance urban well-being and accelerate urban transitions in mobility, safety, energy management, and sustainability. The challenge was to design, build, and test a flexible, future-proof framework that seamlessly embedded digital infrastructure within the urban environment while addressing regulatory constraints, ethics, community involvement, and spatial quality.
As the city's Smart City urban planner, I developed spatial scenarios, designed implementation strategies, and ensured that technological interventions aligned with the city’s broader vision.
My role spanned multiple levels—from collaborating with work planners on street-level implementation to promoting use cases, rolling out new applications, and advising policymakers. Beyond guiding physical implementation, I provided strategic advice on governance and organisational structures, shaping policies to support long-term Smart City development. This included lobbying for new regulations, informing decision-makers, and driving a visionary urban innovation agenda.
The impact
This project provided a unique opportunity to test and refine Smart City innovations in a real-world, high-density coastal environment. By integrating infrastructure, public space, and digital technologies, with a small multidisciplinair team we developed a model for cities to responsibly implement smart systems without compromising urban identity and public interest.
The strategy prioritised adaptive spatial planning, ensuring that elements like smart lighting, sensor networks, energy and data hubs complemented the area's existing layout. Crucially, public participation played a key role in shaping the outcomes, ensuring that smart city solutions were not only technologically advanced but also aligned with community needs and values.
The Living Lab approach allowed for iterative development, enabling the municipality to experiment, adjust, and scale solutions. The result is a pioneering learning environment, with a scalable urban framework that balances innovation with public space quality, setting a precedent for future smart city developments.
For more insights into the lessons learned and key takeaways from this project, explore the Living Lab Scheveningen White Paper here.
The feedback
"In her role as a driving force behind integrating smart city infrastructure into urban renewal projects and realising use cases that leverage this, Naomi proved to be an exceptionally talented professional. She has a keen and cross-disciplinary understanding of the field. Additionally, she excels in documentation and information management, which greatly benefited the entire team. Naomi's pragmatic approach, perseverance, high energy level, and productivity make her an extraordinarily valuable and pleasant partner to work with."
"Thanks to Naomi, some remarkable and unique innovations have been realised in the Living Lab. I really admire her tenacity and perseverance, which were much needed for this project."
René Oomkes
Head of Public Lighting and Charging Infrastructure, Municipality of The Hague
"Working with Naomi is extremely enjoyable and productive. She works with the team towards a concrete project result, without losing the human dimension. Naomi acts from the coherence of things, but also has an eye for decisive details. With original ideas and a healthy persuasiveness, she takes on every challenge."
Erik Elich
System Architect