Young people design the future: Shopping street in Seestadt planned!

Young people design the future: Shopping street in Seestadt planned!

In the Technology Center Seestadt, creative minds gathered from 15 to 17 years to design their visions for the shopping street of the future. At the Junior Innovation Challenge, which took place on July 9, 2025, students presented innovative concepts for the co-creative mile. This shopping and promenade mile will extend from Aspern Nord station to Zaha-Hadid-Platz on Lake Aspern. The event was organized by Junior Achievement Austria with the support of aspern Seestadt Schauberstraßen GmbH, which was launched in 2012 to develop a local supply concept for this new district.

In small groups, the young people worked on various topics such as the offer mix, mobility solutions and city -logistics. Mentors of the Aspern Seestadt Schauberstraßen GmbH and the private university Schloss Seeeburg supported the young innovator. "The creativity of the young people and the relevance of the developed concepts are impressive," praised Martin Hesik, managing director of the shopping street company. This should actively shape not only the present, but also the future of public space. More on this can be found in the report of OTS .

public rooms in change

The challenges that young people experience in relation to public spaces should not be underestimated. According to a study, the use and accessibility of these rooms are strongly influenced by factors such as commercialization and uncertainty. Young people can often no longer enjoy the usual freedom in urban areas because they have to adapt to existing power and regulatory structures. In this context, the importance of innovative concepts for public spaces, as developed at the Junior Innovation Challenge, becomes all the clearer. Public spaces are not only places of encounter, but also of identity formation for the youth. This topic is also in the analysis of Kluedo

In other cities, such as Dornbirn, it can be seen that the dialogue between young people and urban planners is also of central importance. As part of a workshop on urban development, students under the direction of Miriam Wolf and Caritas collected their perspectives and wishes. These findings and suggestions are important construction sites for the design of the cities worth living. Vol.at reports of the diverse ideas that young people bring in to improve their living.

A look into the future

The shopping street in Seestadt is more than just shopping. It represents a space of the encounter that should meet the needs of the young generation. With around 8,000 m² of retail space and an additional planning of 22,000 m² to the completion of the district, it offers enormous development opportunities. The focus on a diverse local supply offer will additionally increase the attractiveness of the Seestadt.

The harmonious integration of innovative ideas of youth and the requirements for modern public spaces could be a model for the urban development of the future. It is essential that pupils continue to have the opportunity to bring their ideas into such projects and thus actively participate in the design of their surroundings.