Shannon Mattern argues that as we enter the era of so-called “smart” cities, we need to consider the point of engagement where citizens interface with the city’s operating system.
What does a “right to the city” mean for our future cities? “Can we envision interfaces that honor the multidimensionality and collectivity of the city, the many kinds of intelligence it encompasses, and the diverse ways in which people can enact their agency as urban subjects?” And can we think beyond the screen?
Mattern presents a rubric for critically evaluating proposed interfaces such as Arup's "Smart City Melbourne" and "Urbanflow Helsinki," by Urbanscale and Nordkapp.
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