So, you hate the NSA collecting information about you. And you hate when brands track your purchases to sell you more stuff. But do you hate the idea of a smart city? Smart cities, with their “intelligent urban infrastructures”, promise greater civic participation, reduced waste, less traffic and a more capable government. But what are citizens sacrificing in return? How much do we want our cities to think for us? And are there benefits to “dumb cities” and their inconveniences? In this battle-it-out presentation, Marissa Gluck and Christine Outram will fight to the finish about whether intelligent urban infrastructures are really capable of creating more livable, sustainable and economically viable cities. Christine, will play the role of techno-determinist, convinced of technologies ability to improve our cities, without eroding civil liberties. Meanwhile, Marissa will play devils advocate, arguing that these new technologies will erase privacy, chance, serendipity and the beauty that comes from reduced automation and control.

1. SMART CITIES:
How smart is too smart?
!
MARISSA GLUCK "
Director, Huge Ideas, HUGE | Co-founder, DeLab
CHRISTINE OUTRAM "
Senior Inventionist, Deutsch LA | Founder, City Innovation Group

2. #smartcitydebate
JOIN THE CONVERSATION:

3. SO TELL ME:
What makes a "
city smart?

4. Is it this?

5. Or this?
IMAGE: GAFFTA.ORG

6. Or could it even be this?
IMAGE: DREAM HAMAR

7. Perhaps, it is about all of
these things, and how
smart phones, sensors,
big data and the like, are
supporting or hindering our
civic ambitions.

8. “
We shape our tools and
then our tools shape us.
BUT WE MUST ALSO REMEMBER:
MARSHALL MCLUHAN, PHILOSOPHER, FUTUROLOGIST AND MEDIA PIONEER

9. WHICH LEAVES US WITH THE QUESTION:
How will these new tools
and devices that aim to
automate, optimize,
include or educate
fundamentally change
civic life?

10. And are there any benefits
to the dumb city and all its
inconveniences?

11. Let’s Duel

12. IN THE LEFT CORNER:
IN THE RIGHT CORNER:
Cities are broke. Using technologies to
automate and optimize our city systems
makes good financial sense.
We have entered the “measured era” the
more technology we use, the more we can
measure and the more we can adapt to our
findings and make better decisions.
New technologies connect us to our
interests, our surroundings and other people
like never before.
We are on the verge of a new architectural
language: buildings can build themselves,
spaces can speak back, and information
can integrated into our surroundings, when
and where we need it.
Optimization and efficiency is fine, but what
about civil liberties? Do I want to be
tracked and recorded?
Not everyone has access to the same tools
and devices. When we make decisions
based on data, we are missing out on a
representative voice.
Where did serendipity go? Should I only be
making connections if it is mediated
through technology?
A Minority Report world could suck. If
technology will be integrated into our
surroundings, we must get the user
experience design right.
THE DIRECTOR, HUGE IDEAS!
!
MARISSA GLUCK "
Director, Huge Ideas, HUGE +
Journalist, Researcher, City Lover
Founder of DeLAB (Design East of La Brea)
Alumni of USC Annenberg School of Communications
THE INVENTIONIST!
!
CHRISTINE OUTRAM"
Senior Inventionist, Deutsch LA +
Creative Technologist, Architect, City Lover
Founder of City Innovation Group
Alumni of MIT

13. Who won?
Who’s next?
TELL US:
#SMARTCITYDEBATE | @CITYINNOVATION | @MARISSAGLUCK