Coimbra’s downtown with new digital street furniture

The new digital street furniture installed in downtown Coimbra, as part of the @Baixa Coimbra project, funded by the Digital Business Neighborhoods program of the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR), was officially presented today, October 1. The installation and operationalization process is underway, covering a total of ten Interactive Digital Mupis, nine Digital Benches, two Interactive Children’s Tables and a Digital Locker module, distributed over various areas of this territory. The aim is to increase urban attractiveness and affirm Baixa as a truly open-air, connected, innovative and people-oriented shopping center.

The presentation began at Largo da Portagem and was attended by the mayor of Coimbra, José Manuel Silva, the vice-president for Tourism, Francisco Veiga, and the councillor for Entrepreneurship, Investment and Employment, Miguel Fonseca, as well as various representatives from all the municipal services involved. On site, one of the first Digital Mupis in operation was presented (out of a total of 10 installed, some in the final stages of operationalization), as well as the Digital Banks, whose configuration and operationalization are also underway.

The contents and functionalities of the digital billboards were presented by the Neighborhood Manager, Rosa Gonçalves, and the website of the Virtual Tour of the Neighborhood, by the head of the Tourism Division, Filomena Dias. The platform offers an immersive 360-degree experience, allowing you to explore the shops, services and heritage of downtown Coimbra using innovative technologies such as augmented reality.

The Digital Mupis are designed to provide information in an interactive way, allowing you to access multimedia content, routes, points of interest and a marketplace, with the possibility of making purchases on the equipment itself. They are also equipped with environmental and mobility sensors, collecting data on air quality, pedestrian flow and car traffic, integrated into the municipality’s Urban Management Platform.

The Digital Benches, on the other hand, work with integrated solar panels, making it possible to charge mobile devices via USB or wireless, LED lighting and temperature sensors. They have been strategically installed in high-traffic areas, such as Beira-Rio, Largo das Ameias, the Princesa Cindazunda traffic circle, Jardim da Manga and near the Market Elevator.

In addition to this, there is also a Digital Locker module, installed outside the Municipal Market, which allows orders to be deposited and picked up self-service, 24 hours a day. The equipment includes a touch screen, QR code reader and smart locks, guaranteeing simple and safe use. For the youngest, the Interactive Children’s Tables were developed, which are already in operation in the Chiado Building and will soon also be in the D. Pedro V Market. Containing educational games and a design designed to stimulate creativity, these tables promote family and intergenerational involvement.

The Digital Shopping Neighbourhoods funding programme aims to modernize neighbourhood shopping centers, focusing on digitizing the consumer experience, managing urban space and innovating public space. In the case of Coimbra, the installation of digital furniture is based on four main objectives: to strengthen urban attractiveness; to extend the length of stay in the Baixa through innovative digital services; to boost local digitalization, bringing citizens, commerce and public space closer together; and to improve the quality of urban life by providing functional, aesthetic, sustainable and inclusive solutions.

Photo credits: Coimbra City Council | Nuno Ávila

Baixa de Coimbra with new digital street furniture – coimbra.pt