This archive report was first published on 17 July 2019.
July 17, 2019
As an infrastructure engineer, Shoshanna Saxe has a unique perspective on the concept of smart cities. While many people see smart cities as the future of urban planning, Saxe is not convinced. In fact, she believes that smart cities may not be the solution to urban problems, and that simpler, more effective solutions often exist.
According to Saxe, data and algorithms alone are not enough to solve urban challenges. She points out that even with advanced technology, addressing urban problems still requires stable long-term financing, good management, and effective personnel. For example, if a smart system identifies a road that needs paving, it still needs people to show up with asphalt and a steamroller.
Moreover, Saxe argues that many urban challenges already have effective analog solutions. Congestion, for instance, can be tackled with better railways, bus rapid transit, and bike lanes, rather than relying on autonomous cars. Similarly, houses can be built with operable windows and high-quality insulation, rather than relying on automated heating and cooling systems.
So, what makes a city truly effective? Saxe believes that it's not about chasing the newest shiny technology, but about building excellent, durable cities that are planned and built with best-in-class approaches to infrastructure and the public realm. For many of our challenges, we don't need new technologies or new ideas; we need the will, foresight, and courage to use the best of the old ideas.
As Saxe so eloquently puts it, 'The things we love most about cities — parks, public spaces, neighborhood communities, education opportunities — are made and populated by people, not technology.' Tech has a place in cities, but that place is not everywhere.
