This project explores the implications of digital technologies and their application in urban contexts for the quality of life in cities, from a perspective of public values.
The goal is to provide citizens, governments, and developers/designers with a conceptual framework to understand the role of technologies in cities and shape their further development.
The Challenge
Digitalization, datafication, and other forms of ‘urban computation’ have left their traces in physical public spaces. This varies from the impact of navigation software, digital maps, social media, and online platforms on spatial practices to the design of digital twins used for planning purposes. These developments are driven by various actors: tech companies, governments, and civil society organizations. Yet, it remains unclear what the implications of these developments mean for the experience of urban public spaces. Moreover, local governments face policy uncertainty when confronted with the spatial and societal consequences of digitalization, often lacking oversight of the developments, with policy goals in this area still underdeveloped. Adding to the complexity is the fact that urban planning and digitalization appear to be policy areas that are barely connected.
Our Approach
We need to better understand digitization and its consequences for the quality of urban life, and develop tools and integrated policy frameworks or guidelines to design livable, inclusive cities with digital services that are grounded in public values.
Our Contribution to the Challenge
We will provide governments and citizens with insights into the implications of digital technologies for the quality of life in cities. This can inform democratic debate, policy development, and the design of new urban media technologies.
Action Plan
We contribute to the larger project through a sub-project titled “Digital Society and the Quality of Urban Space,” led by the Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences. In this subproject we will:
- Publish a white paper introducing quality of life and public values as concepts to analyze the implications of digital media for urban culture
- Work with policymakers, citizens, and designers to reflect on actual cases in Dutch cities and derive lessons learned
- Explore future trends for smart cities and their possible implications