Cities 3.0

We've had 'Sharing Cities' and 'Smart Cities' - what's next for the evolution of the city?

Modern cities are having to face up to a whole host of wicked problems like demographic change, inequality, housing shortages, homelessness, environmental degradation and access to public services.

So-called Sharing Cities emphasised the importance of peer-to-peer platforms and collaborative resource stewardship, whilst Smart Cities focussed on the power of ICT to make assets and services more accessible to all. But is there an ideal hybrid of the two that recognises the strengths of each? 

The RSA envisions Smart Cities evolving into ‘Networked Cities’, re-imagining the use of technology to emphasise a human-centred approach to problem-solving. In recognition that the use of technology can be disempowering for some citizens of Smart Cities, Networked Cities seeks to enable citizens to reclaim power over technology, encouraging the use of P2P technology to address collective challenges. Whereas citizens were once passive bystanders to technology, in Networked Cities they are now actively participating in its use to achieve a shared goal of inclusive growth. 

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