Interview with Cristian Wulf, Manager, Ports of Talcahuano – Fernando Pérez, Principal Director, City Science Lab Biobío.
AIVP – In a nutshell, what does the “Ciudad Portuaria” platform consist of and how was the project developed?
Cristian Wulf – Ciudad Portuaria is an interactive digital platform which, through science, technology and citizen participation, simulates the impact of connectivity, mobility and waterfront improvement projects on the community and the sustainable development of the ports of Talcahuano and San Vicente. It explores multiple scenarios to strengthen urban planning and understanding of the context of a port city. It serves as a tool for decision-makers to optimise eight existing projects in the municipality and for citizens to understand their impacts, as well as to propose solutions.
The impacts are estimated based on variables such as journey times, land-use diversity, transport speeds on urban routes, the quality of public transport, the quality of public spaces, proximity to bus stops and the length of traffic jams.
AIVP – This digital tool is highly flexible, as it allows for the incorporation of relevant information across various fields. For which topics has it been most relevant? How were the projects uploaded to the platform selected?
Cristian Wulf – It is important to highlight the participatory nature of Ciudad Portuaria from its inception. The platform was developed by Puertos de Talcahuano and City Lab Biobío, part of the MIT City Science network. A key aspect is that, when we began developing the platform, we held a ‘Participatory workshop for building sustainable cities’; we invited the community, the local council and various organisations, and in particular leaders of social organisations in Talcahuano, who identified the city’s needs across various sectors. Following this, we analysed, together with various institutions, the existing projects that had sufficient information to be incorporated into the platform, thereby selecting the eight prioritised projects; from this, the most relevant theme also emerged: improving the coexistence of the port logistics system and the city.
AIVP – We can see that it has been a very participatory process. What was the initial reaction of local residents when this tool was presented to them? How was the interaction with the various stakeholders structured?
Cristian Wulf – The response was very positive right from the start with the participatory workshop; they then took part in reviewing the pilot version, incorporating various adjustments to make the platform more user-friendly, and finally saw the finished platform. In short, they feel they have played a part in building the tool, and that we have taken their hopes and ideas into account regarding how we can build the Talcahuano we want together.
AIVP – We imagine that the development of a platform of this kind is highly valued by other local stakeholders. How was it received by the local council? Which other stakeholders are interested in it?
Cristian Wulf – The Municipality of Talcahuano greatly valued the work, from the Mayor to the Planning Department and the Traffic Department. In fact, other municipalities have also requested demonstrations from us, with a view to moving forward in a similar direction. We have also presented it to various neighbourhood associations, authorities, universities, the logistics community, schools, and, through City Lab Biobío, shared it with other city labs around the world, particularly at the ‘Cities in Transition’ Summit—the annual global gathering of city labs belonging to the MIT City Science Network—held in Concepción last October.
AIVP – The tool allows us to engage with numerous groups, some of whom are not used to interacting with the port authority. What was the most interesting or unexpected information you discovered?
Cristian Wulf – One of the most important aspects for the various stakeholders was being able to visualise the impact of the various projects on their quality of life, as well as analysing projects and their impacts on the local community, but also in more specific areas such as a residents’ association, thereby enabling them to analyse projects and their impacts in a user-friendly way, and serving as a useful and simple tool for planning.
AIVP – We live in the age of smart ports and smart cities. An important part of this discussion is how to share and use data. Was this a key aspect in the development of the Ciudad Portuaria platform?
Cristian Wulf – The compilation work carried out was fascinating: the way we cross-referenced databases from various ministries, the local council, the National Institute of Statistics and other sources. This collaboration was challenging at first, but over time it became more streamlined and even incorporated information from other platforms. But, above all, what was remarkable was how we were able to cross-reference that information, assess its impact on the urban fabric and, furthermore, plot it on a map. It has the merit of being a very comprehensive and complex tool, yet at the same time simple and intuitive. Moreover, as it is touch-based, you don’t need to be an expert to use it. Regarding data sharing, significant work was done to ensure the anonymity of the data and to comply with privacy regulations. As for the topic of smart ports and smart cities, what we find most relevant is to highlight the concept of the ‘smart citizen’ – a person who knows how to use technology to benefit their local activities. With this initiative, we aim to support the development of ‘smart citizens’.
AIVP – It is a powerful and very comprehensive platform. We imagine it must be very costly to develop and maintain. How is the development and operation of the tool funded?
Cristian Wulf – This is a tool in which, as Puertos de Talcahuano, we decided to invest because it directly benefits the foreign trade chain and the city that hosts it, serving to analyse and plan the city in a simple and practical way. It was through an agreement with City Lab Biobío, in which each party collaborated on various matters; we dedicated time, hired specific professionals, and drew on the expertise of the Citylab network to bring this project to fruition. Citylab has four years of public funding secured, until the end of June 2026. After this date, it is not yet known whether we will be able to secure further public funding or whether Citylab will have to change its administrative model to become a commercial entity and provide consultancy services.
AIVP–The platform already contains a wealth of information, but it could be used for other purposes. What are the prospects for the platform’s development
Cristian Wulf – At present, the platform has eight projects, but there are several others we would like to add and which would be suitable for inclusion. The aim is to continue developing this tool, and we also face other challenges where both Citylab and we have a mutual interest in bringing them to fruition.
AIVP – Why has the port city of Talcahuano been chosen to be a City Lab with MIT? What were the main criteria?
Fernando Pérez – City Lab Biobío is the first city science laboratory in the MIT City Science network in the southern hemisphere. Our mission is to lead applied research to transform the way cities are planned, organised and developed.
To select any city, City Science looks at the urban ecosystem as a whole: whether there is scope for experimentation in the city, whether there are universities, whether there are skilled local professionals, and whether they conduct world-class research; whether there is innovation; and, above all, whether there is a willingness in the public and private sectors to join this mission to transform the city. Under the leadership of the Regional Government and the Chilean Chamber of Construction ( ) of Concepción, together with Corporación Ciudades, we have created this unique space in Chile.
Within this framework, we formed a partnership with Puertos de Talcahuano to develop the first digital simulation platform for a port city in Latin America.
AIVP – What are the prospects for developing the platform in other cities that form part of the CityLabs network?
Fernando Pérez – The City Science network includes cities from all over the world, with a wide variety of experiences and research approaches. In Hamburg, they focus on creating data and simulation platforms that help local and federal governments to enhance urban policies; in Taipei, researchers are developing artificial intelligence prototypes to assess the impact of large-scale projects in the city; Shanghai is dedicated to investigating the intersection between design, technology, innovation and the city, creating human-guided AI models to produce world-class art and technology.
We are following the paths already trodden by the other laboratories and seeking ways to adapt them to the local context and the objectives of the Ciudad Portuaria digital platform. It is, therefore, a constant exchange of knowledge and science between the teams. Being part of this global network in applied urban research is a benefit and a bonus for the cities of Biobío; having the opportunity to bring in science from Asia, Europe and one of the world’s leading universities adds value to any project you wish to undertake with us.
