Smart Utopias

A decade of reflections, marked by continuous innovation: how has the concept of ”smart city” evolved?

In the face of accelerating progress, the idea of a smart city is often associated with techno-utopian scenarios: urban realities in which everything is connected – from services to social life, from work to mobility. This is what is actually happening in some of the world’s major metropolises.

Relying on technology for planning is certainly a possibility, especially looking towards safer, more efficient and even environmentally friendly cities: the smart city model aims to ensure a widespread improvement in citizens’ living conditions – but is this really the case?

Besides privacy concerns, what are the risks and benefits of increasingly smart and connected cities? But above all: where does Italy stand?
In the third Friday afternoon panel dedicated to Italian city making, three councillors from as many Italian administrations talk to each other to tell the audience what is being done concretely to make our cities smarter places.