Adam Greenfield analyses the impact of services like Citysense, a location-based service with a twist. I’m not entirely sure I agree with the thrust of his argument, though; the future of urbanism is surely about meaningful technology more than information.
“For example, one of the first things that drops out of the Citysense data is a statistically strongly significant degree of correlation between certain populations and specified locations in the city – in effect, the existence of self-selected “tribes” defined entirely by their behavior in space and time (Skibiski’s word, and one whose resonances I’m not entirely happy with). When you have access to additional information characterizing these locations – you know: is this a sportsbar or a leather bar? a Muni Metro stop or a parking lot? the Zeitgeist or the Top of the Mark? the drunk tank or the emergency room? – well, then, it seems to me that you have the beginnings of a concordance to the city. You can begin to make proactive decisions about how to make best use of the urban manifold.
“Nevertheless, it is transparently self-evident to me that this is the way we’re going to do cities from here on out…I’m seeing a big LED signboard tacked across the front of Zeitgeist’s doorway: “Garden now at 23% above threshold. Get your Tamale Lady orders in now!” And if that isn’t the future of cities, then I don’t know what is.”
Link: I have seen the future of urban life (speedbird.wordpress.com)
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