Category: Spring ’16 Issue

by Jacqueline Li Smart Cities: The Age of Risks & Partnerships [dropcap size=big]D[/dropcap]ata security risks1 notwithstanding, there is little debate left on the opportunities that smart city technology and the Internet of Things can bring to urban planning, be it through improved maintenance of the built environment and public spaces, or more efficient and safe roads.… Read more Technology & Partnership Planning for a (Smart) City Built to Last

by Rachel Cohen In my pre-grad school work in campaign organizing, we talked frequently about the power of stories – when advocating to a politician or the press, a single person’s narrative often proved more memorable and therefore effective than endless statistics and analyses about the thousands or millions who a policy might impact. As… Read more A Map Is Worth a Thousand Words

by Sarah Kaufman Smart Cities, one of the most overused terms in urban planning in 2016, is intended to conjure futuristic fantasy images: driverless cars, self-repairing infrastructure and virtual reality art museums. Entirely new smart cities, like Songdo, South Korea, are master-planned on the premise of intelligent, seamless government services. Many cities are not being built… Read more Intro: Smart Cities

by Alice Anigacz “Big data” and “the future of cities.” Two phrases so synonymous that it is hard to think about future cities without thinking of the implications of ride-sharing apps, sensor-laden buildings and roadways, and other technologies that would not have been imaginable even ten years ago. These advances are often talked about as… Read more Low-Tech, High-Impact: Why Decreasing Minimum Unit Size Can Launch New York City into a Future of Rental Affordability