December 13, 2024 marked the official inauguration of the Shanghai Quantum City Space-Time Innovation Base. Situated on Fuxing Island in Yangpu District, this is the only island in downtown Shanghai and represents a valuable untouched expanse in the city's blueprint. Covering roughly 1.1 square kilometers, this area is poised to develop into a pilot experimental zone for "quantum city" space-time innovation, delving into the harmonious interplay between digital and physical realms. It aspires to become a gateway to the future city.

Recently, the Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Planning and Resources, in collaboration with Tongji University, the CPC Yangpu District Committee, and the Yangpu District People's Government, convened a meeting for the advancement of the Shanghai Quantum City Space-Time Intelligent Innovation initiative. The meeting pushed the construction process with unwavering momentum and rigorous impetus. Subsequently, our editor will guide you through the quintessence and architectural blueprint of the "Shanghai Quantum City Space-Time Innovation Base".

The Theoretical Concept of Quantum City

"Quantum City" is an abstract concept. It draws upon the principles of "quantization" and "quantum entanglement" from quantum theory to create a digital system that interlinks temporal and spatial dimensions and interweaves the virtual with the real. This concept represents Shanghai's venture into harnessing AI to empower new models of governance for megacities. To put it simply, "Quantum City" transcends mere visualization of the physical realm through two-and three-dimensional data. Its crux lies in leveraging AI-based simulations and instantaneous feedback mechanisms, rendering large models amenable to computation and interaction. It facilitates the digital city's capacity to discern the rhythms of its real-world counterpart, culminating in reciprocal enhancements and overhauls of the tangible urban landscape. Shanghai's rendition of the "Quantum City" entails a comprehensive digital twin of the actual physical expanse, encompassing the entirety of its 17,000 square kilometers, spanning urban, rural, and maritime zones, and incorporating all spatial assets both terrestrial and subterranean.

For instance, in traditional planning, the number of shopping malls is determined by the local population count. Yet, in the face of a surge in online shopping, how can we avoid an excess of shopping malls? In the near future, the innovative Quantum City Cloud Universe Starry Sky large-scale model will empower planners to promptly dissect regional demographic features. This will enable precise calibration of consumer demands, thereby either reducing or refining the layout of shopping malls and redirecting spatial resources towards more pressing requirements.

The Model Foundation of Quantum City

To build a "quantum city", Shanghai has embarked on the development of its first three-dimensional space-time governance model - the Cloud Universe Starry Sky large-scale model. A consortium of 69 entities, comprising both domestic and international participants, has successively integrated into the "Shanghai Quantum City" development initiative. They include top-tier domestic universities such as Tsinghua University and Tongji University, leading tech companies like Alibaba Cloud and SenseTime, as well as established industry units within the realms of planning and design. The initial cohort of 28 incubation platforms is slated for full-scale operational launch within the planning and resource sectors by 2025, covering scenarios such as urban governance, spatiotemporal economy, and urban security. For example, in the context of commercial building units, the model adopts rooms, floors, and buildings as spatial metrics, integrating 24 indices that include regional conditions, architectural status, business services, social contributions, and economic benefits. Monitoring indicators such as building age, vacancy rate, and rent are incorporated to provide regulatory bodies and enterprises with data support and decision-making basis. Should a building exhibit signs of aging or excessively high vacancy rates, the system is designed to trigger alert notifications. Regarding low-altitude transportation, the Cloud Universe Starry Sky large-scale model facilitates the coordinated management of low-altitude airspace utilization, forging a spatiotemporal framework for low-altitude transit. This not only uncovers the untapped airspace potential of future cities but also establishes an aerial vantage point for urban governance and envisions the prosperous aerial corridors of future cities.

First "6+6+1" Tasks

To accelerate the Quantum City Space-Time Intelligent Innovation initiative, under the principle of "unified planning, coordinated deployment, and priority for urgent needs", the Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Planning and Resources has initiated the first "6+6+1" tasks, comprising "6 foundational projects, 6 pilot scenarios, and the Fuxing Island Global Design Competition".

"6 foundational projects": The full-scale launch of the 1213001 Holistic Holographic Space-Time Schema Construction Project to build a Shanghai three-dimensional space grid that is fully interconnected, fully scaled, and fully temporal; the 1213002 Space-Time Material Library Construction Project to realize the full-chain production of quantum city spatial data; the 1213003 Space-Time Innovation Construction Software R & D Project to bring about innovations in material production technology; the 1213004 Space-Time Intelligent Platform Construction Project to support the efficient, secure, and intelligent operations of the quantum city, achieving precise external empowerment; the 1213005 Intelligent Infrastructure Fuxing Island Experimental Project to advance the "four-in-one" city-wide intelligent infrastructure planning research encompassing perception, communication, power, and computing, with a pilot on Fuxing Island; and the 1213006 A-Star Cloud Base Revival Intelligent Tower Up Pearl Chain Construction Project to utilize Fuxing Island as a platform to create a diverse virtual space, establish a digital intelligent space-time planning platform for virtual asset transactions and communications, and demonstrate key full-process applications of virtual space.

"Six pilot scenarios": Concentrating on the 28 scenario nests unveiled on the "launch day", the initial batch of pilot scenarios has commenced. The Star-Based 1213201 Three-Dimensional Cadastral Survey and Registration Scenario is geared towards enhancing the confirmation, circulation, and utilization of spatial resources, with the objective of exploring and empowering the new value of urban space. It undertakes three-dimensional cadastral management and concurrently explores the expansion of advance notice registration applications. The first phase adopts the enhancement of existing business buildings in Lujiazui as a pilot. The Star-Based 1213202 Urban and Architectural Design Verification Scenario is aimed at streamlining the approval process and enhancing the efficiency of design and approval. It constructs a three-dimensional space-time intelligent verification and evaluation platform for urban and architectural design. The first phase utilizes Huangpu District and Xuhui District as pilots. The Star-Based 1213203 Municipal Gas Safety Management Scenario is focused on optimizing the co-construction layout of gas "strip space" and real-time monitoring the spatial location and safety dynamics of gas pipelines. It establishes a gas safety management application scenario, with the main urban core area serving as the first-phase pilot. The Star-Based 1213204 Business Building Monitoring Scenario is dedicated to propelling the high-quality development of business buildings. It engages in the construction of functions such as intelligent evaluation, monitoring, regional physical examination, and supply and demand analysis of business buildings. The first phase takes the Xiaolujiazui business unit as a pilot. The Cloud-Based 1213301 15-Minute Community Life Circle Scenario is designed to create a palm-based life circle service and elevate the community service experience. It undertakes the construction of the 15-minute life circle scenario, with Caoyang Xincun Sub-district in Putuo District as the first-phase pilot. The Cloud-Based 1213302 Urban Commercial Space-Time Diversion Scenario is intended to accelerate the construction of an international consumer center city and precisely empower the implementation of consumer policies. It builds a commercial operation monitoring data and space-related application scenario. The first phase takes the Wujiaochang business district as a pilot.

"1 design competition": Centered on the functional orientations of a digital island, a design island, and a people's island, the "2025 Fuxing Island Global Design Competition" has commenced. This initiative zeroes in on the tri-island positioning, upholds new development philosophies and high-quality development, emphasizes a global vision and international benchmarks, and highlights Chinese elegance, Huangpu River views, innovative trends, and humanistic charm. Leveraging one river, one creek, one island, one chain, and one tower, the focus is on creating a world-class classic waterfront area and the overall imagery of a river-heart island, characterized by the interweaving of blue and green, freshness and brightness, and the integration of water and island. The Fuxing Island Global Design Competition aims to pool creativity, wisdom, and artistic humanities, using art and innovation to enliven spaces and illuminate the future, drawing makers from all directions and a global convergence of creativity. It focuses on promoting the organic growth, reshaping, and waterfront revival of Fuxing Island, enhancing innovation, optimizing space, improving functions, increasing ecology, adding artistry, and shaping brands.

The "6+6" projects implement a working mechanism of "one task, forming a council, incubating a group of industrial nests, vigorously advancing the innovation source, technology transfer, and industrial incubation of Shanghai Quantum City Space-Time Intelligent Innovation. The execution of each project takes March 30, June 30, September 30, and December 30 as four pivotal time points, with city-district collaboration, departmental coordination, open co-creation, and rolling advancement.

Fuxing Island Creates a Practice Base

Boasting abundant ecological resources, Fuxing Island, with its natural foundation that includes the Huangpu River, is poised to function as a "laboratory" for the pilot implementation of the quantum city initiative. Moreover, it is supported by a wealth of scientific and innovative resources in the district, such as Tongji University and Bilibili, offering it a prime advantage. The development of the practice base will significantly facilitate the transformation and utilization of underutilized infrastructure and idle factory resources on Fuxing Island. In pursuit of realizing the Quantum City vision, Fuxing Island will oversee over 100,000 sensors. These sensors will evolve into novel urban infrastructure during subsequent urban construction and renewal endeavors, catering to the demands of urban governance and fundamental security assurance.

For Fuxing Island itself, it is destined to serve as the core spatial hub for the Shanghai Quantum City Space-Time Innovation Base. It will embody the regional urban renewal philosophy led by the people's city concept, introduce digital intelligent incubation bases and design art creation bases to drive functional transitions, and build the Shanghai Digital Intelligent Incubation Base (Digital Island), the Shanghai Design Art Creation Base (Design Island), and the Shanghai People's City Practice Base (People's Island). The establishment of the Shanghai Quantum City Space-Time Innovation Base on Fuxing Island represents the sowing of a seed of ascent. Beyond its own revival, Fuxing Island is set to emerge as the "pinnacle island" guiding the "quantum-driven" governance of the world's megacities.

The year 2025 heralds the commencement of accelerated progress in the construction of Shanghai Quantum City Space-Time Intelligent Innovation. As the "quantum city" advances methodically from aspirations to blueprints to tangible practices, the visage of the future city is gradually coming into sharper focus.