Smart cities, driven by technology, are being promoted as the solution to urban living challenges. Yet, there’s a growing call to shift the focus from smart cities to smart citizens. The idea is to empower citizens to use technology to shape their cities, instead of having technology shape the cities for them.
Cities should be seen as complex, adaptive systems, rather than machines. This perspective encourages a more human-centred approach, where urban living evolves according to the needs and desires of its inhabitants.
While technology can enable this, it’s not the driving force. The smart citizen is. They are the ones who understand their city, who engage with their environment, and who are empowered to make changes.
There’s a need for the design of cities to be more inclusive and democratic. This means giving citizens a say in how their cities develop and evolve. It’s about building cities that are adaptable, flexible, and responsive to the needs of their inhabitants.
The call for smart citizens is a call for a more democratic, human-centred approach to urban living. It’s about empowering people to shape their cities, using technology as a tool rather than a driver. It’s about building cities that are adaptable, flexible, and responsive to the needs of their inhabitants. It’s about putting people, not technology, at the heart of urban development.
Go to source article: http://www.cityofsound.com/blog/2013/02/on-the-smart-city-a-call-for-smart-citizens-instead.html