1 INTRODUCTION Challenges and opportunities that could define the 21st century are most visible in the cities in which a growing proportion of the world’s population now lives. They are manifested in the form of so–called “mega trends” that affects the strategic agenda in cities: globalization/glocalization, individualism, merging, acceleration, hi–tech, hi–touch, changing demographics, urbanization and migration. On the other side, the “hardware” of technology goes together with the “software” of emotions, nostalgia, values, architecture and design, visions and dreams and the environmentally friendly, safe, secure and aesthetic city becomes the imperative for modern civic pride (PwC 2006). Contemporary world is characterized by globalized and decentralized life – a competitive arena of cities, regions and states. City competition meant a process through which groups seek to promote it as a location for economic activity either implicitly or explicitly in competition with other cities. In this situation cities form a unique set of changes and economic growth, modernity, innovation, modern infrastructure, new technologies, attractiveness and quality and as such are the engines of social and cultural development, strong clusters of different resources, creators and innovation. Following the rules of the global competition, the city has become a unique collage of contemporary needs, (anti)utopian images and inherited patterns that evolved into a new urban landscape (Stupar 2007). Its multiscalar nature is based upon powerful financial and information systems, balancing between numerous flows and stretching its limits through real and virtual networks. At the same time, cities are social artefacts that could be experienced, products of cultural phenomena of identity and diversity, not just a reflection of consumerism and commercialization (Alves 2005). The idea of city, based on the sense of community is consolidated by its collective spaces, public or private, and products of a particular combination of political, economical, social and cultural activities.
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creativity and innovation and experience – visions and dreams. We are entering a new paradigm of society that requires new ways of thinking and acting. Futurist professor Rolf Jensen from Copenhagen in Denmark identified a new type of emerging society that he calls the “Dream Society”, society that emphasizes storytelling, culture, values and ethos (PwC 2006). 2.1 From the city of intelligence to intelligent city The current period is characterized by a situation in which a large number of cities, regardless of their size, formulate a development strategies based on the concept of knowledge and creative city. These concepts arise as a consequence of rapid economic and social changes. In these cities, knowledge, creativity and innovation of citizens are considered to be key carriers of prosperity and better quality of life. City of knowledge as their core values define the density and quality of educational and research excellence. In addition, it tends to renew the old industrial areas in the centre and clusters of knowledge. On the other hand, the creative city is generally characterized by efforts to create a stimulating and diverse environment that provides a rich experience to its citizens and visitors. Smart or intelligent city 1 as a hybrid concept arises by merging the characteristics of knowledge and creative city.
However, the competition doesn’t give equal conditions for all its participants. Cities on the higher position have privileged role in the network of global cities as opposed to the cities on lower positions or cities which are trying to become part of global flows. Nevertheless, the above social framework changes the course of thinking about the possibility of raising the attractiveness and therefore the development process of cities. Instead of building capital objects and complexes, cities, stronger and weaker, are turning to small–scale interventions whose implementation may also achieve certain success. Application of the creative design approach based on powerful ideas and implementation of contemporary technological achievements could result in small intervention that could generate significant effect on the city level. Special attention of this paper is given to small–scale interventions in pedestrian environment, urban furniture and equipment. Observing them as redundant artefact defined by Portugali, the city could transmit the message of its technological progress and developmental objectives, and, at the same time, improve the quality of everyday environment and life in the city. 2 DREAM SOCIETY AND SMART CITY Following the different phases of evolution we could recognize hunter society which most important asset was wild animals, agriculture society – animals and land, industrial – iron and steel, information – data, knowledge –
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Figure 2: Intelligent/Smart city formation. Source: PwC 2006
Intelligent city is defined as intelligent environment which makes use of information and communication technologies in creating interactive spaces which introduce contemporary computer tools into physical surrounding. From the stated perspective intelligent cities encompass physical surroundings in which information and communication technologies, as well as human senses disappear at time when they become part of everyday surrounding, where one lives, moves and works (Steventon and Wright, 2006). Development of intelligent city is based on solid integration of three dimensions of human, collective and artificial intelligence. Human intelligence includes intelligence, inventiveness and creativity of humans, i.e. individuals who live and work in an observed city. This dimension was identified by Richard Florida (2002) and named it “creative class”, consisting of educated and talented individuals, scientists, artists etc. Collective intelligence represents the ability of human communities to develop in the direction of higher order of complexity and harmony, through mechanisms encompassing innovation, differentiation and integration, competitiveness and cooperation (Atlee and Pór 2006). This dimension is based on municipal institutions which enable cooperation based on knowledge and innovation. Artificial intelligence is incorporate into physical environment and accessible to inhabitants through communication infrastructure, digital spaces, etc. On the other side, everyday physical environment of a city encompasses public open spaces. Findings from the
Figure 1: Types of societies. Source: PwC 2006
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Definition of World Foundation of Smart Cities