What Exactly is a Smart City

Can a city be smart

I have been researching for many months, how our drawings will react with a smart city, but one concept I have to get right first is the simple question of What exactly is a smart city

People band the word about, to gain points, but have no idea what it is or how it works. So in this article, one of many I plan to write, I shall look at the basis of a Smart City.

Wiki has to be the first port of call to see just what constitutes a city, and it’s not what you expect, a City status is not size or inhabitant, it’s granted by the monarch of the United Kingdom to a select group of communities.

So what do I expect from a smart city, well let’s look at it as a visitor, how do I expect a smart city to react to me as I enter a city, First and foremost, I want a strong 4G mobile signal, when travelling I live by my phone, its navigation and communication, its text, its pictures and I take lots. I don’t particularly like logging into wifi straight away, simply because I do not trust it, but 4G is good, and I want it citywide, with no large gaping holes.

Next, I want a single point of access, for city details, I usually navigate by Google Maps, so I want the city to be well established on this and any other major electronic map, with garages, petrol, restaurants, etc.

Next, I want bus, tram and local train info, if it’s not on Google maps, then a single city website, well-labelled for visitors, now up to this point I am still on 4G, but I may well want to switch to a local city-wide WiFi, so I want a simple statement, open up your wifi and use this, no wanting a load of information, just give me access, if the city wants me to enjoy my stay. It has to be good, no pop-ups, just good swift access, again no black holes just good clean access.

I will extend this a little in that if I approach any city via car, then I want accurate maps, and city-wide traffic info, Google Maps and in particular Waze, offers unbelievable info, the times of arrival offered are usually very good, but would it not be nice to get local updates from the city via Google maps, parking, available spaces, notes asking if I can book a space.

Above all, I don’t want to be swapping programs or having to log into programs or websites to gain access.

Cities should be constantly learning, understanding the wider needs of all types of transport, pedestrians, weather, shops, living eating entertainment, without breaching privacy, it can be done, and if executed well, add to the cities understanding, which should enrich visitors and residents alike.

I recently wrote in a paper I have just published, that smart to me is good communication, plenty of it and fast. But what has this to do with Architectural Technology, simple it is all part of planning, and city layout, it’s been a long time since I last did an estate layout, but we need to understand what’s required of a smart city, so we can draw it and make it work, like access to roofs for masts, internal cabling, mast supports on roofs, I so hate it when installers just do not respect flat roof membranes, we must provide the support, infrastructure. Pitched roof also presents their own problems with masts, perhaps clever detailing and a mast design that blends with the pitch.

If I get all of this then as a visitor I am happy, and thinking yes this city is smart.

But this is only my view as a visitor, I don’t live here so my next article will be as a person living in a city, do I expect more, the answer has to be yes.