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Smart cities. Background literature. The concept. Is similar or overlaps with the following discourses in urban development (1) :. Wired Digital Intelligent Creative Telecommunication based Informational Knowledge based E-governance Entrepreneurial. The concept cont.
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Smart cities Background literature
The concept • Is similar or overlaps with the following discourses in urban development(1): • Wired • Digital • Intelligent • Creative • Telecommunication based • Informational • Knowledge based • E-governance • Entrepreneurial
The concept cont. • It is also seen related to(2): • New urbanism • Sustainable development • Green development • Livable communities • Traditional neighborhood development
The concept cont. • And seen in a more negative light as(3): • Capitalist development policy • Part of economic development discourse “new smart growth coalitions, with power of contemporary economic development discourses, are reshaping urban natures to suit new consumption tastes through place marketing.”(Krueger, 2007)
Why smart city labeling(1)? • Actual infrastructure change • Effective IT policies Or • Marketing purposes
Meanings of intelligent city • Use of a wide range of electronic and digital applications • Use of information and communication technologies • linking ICTs and people to enhance innovation, learning, knowledge and problem solving
Smart growth The concept addresses various social, ecological, spatial, and economic problems by • Use of innovative ICTs • Architectural design and planning • Creative cultural industries • Social and environmental sustainability • Citizen participation
Is it really smart? Some underlying assumptions: • IT transforms life and work within a region • Private sector will also prioritize goals of social inclusion and environmental and social sustainability
What makes a city smart? • The USA approach: • Utilization of networked infrastructure • Emphasis on business led urban development-domination of neo-liberal urban spaces “ Only private capital can supply the large amounts of money needed to meet the growing demand for smart growth developments” (Smart Growth Network, 2007)
Cont. • European/Canadian interpretation of the concept adds other aspects: • E-citizenship is committed to ensuring that everyone can have access to ICTs and participate in the knowledge society • Helping entire community to go online in order to create specific services to address local objectives and advance collective skills
Cont. • Emphasize on art, digital media and culturally creative industries • Change towards environmental and social sustainability Overall, smart can mean different things to different people.
Critics of the concept • It is technologically determined • It is used as a smokescreen for ushering in the business dominated informational city • It increases polarization and gentrification in the cities • Serves multinational corporations rather than local businesses
What to do now? • Smart growth needs to be explored at a conceptual level rather than on a tool by tool basis
Ongoing projects • Singapore:IT2015 initiative, following Intelligent Island Plan • Malaysia: Multimedia Super Corridor • South Korea: media city • Blacksburg, Virginia: electronic village • San Diego:“City of the Future”
Ongoing projects cont. • Stockholm, Seattle, and Sacramento: large-scale public-access networks • Canada: ‘Smart Communities’ initiative • UK, Southampton: Multi application smart card • Brisbane, Australia: Sustainable brand of smart urbanism
“The 1997 World Forum on Smart Cities suggested that around 50,000 cities and towns around the world would develop smart initiatives over the next decade.” (Hollands, 2008)
Ongoing studies • http://cities.media.mit.edu/ • Reinventing the Automobile: Personal Urban Mobility for the 21st Century • New Object Studio • GreenWheel Electric Bicycle • Mobility-on-Demand • CityCar • Wheel Robots • Scooter with ITRI and Sanyang Motors • Liberated Pixels • Contested Mobilities • Space Explorers
Ongoing studies cont. • Space Explorers • Instrumented Landscapes • Material Ecology • Protopia • Flexible Forms • Athlete Concept Vehicle • Zero Car • Transology • Digital Mile, Zaragoza, Spain • e*Lens • RATP Paris, France • Cannes Reloaded • PAC Miami • Reactive Playgrounds