I attended the conference 'the human city', organised by a group of researchers and thinkers at the VUB, in the new think tank POINcaré.
The book the human city was presented there. There are a few topics that are quite innovative regarding the Smart city and regarding the rol of Brussels as the digital hub.
These definitely are not approaches that are shared by a lot of people (yet), but shed an optimistic light on the perspective of a human and sustainable city.
Regarding computer literacy, it is no longer about using a mouse or a smart phone: it is about real data literacy moving up at a higher level for decision makers, and other: how to use data, understand it, understand the implications of data and the way to handle it in an ethical way.
Regarding the structure of the city, it sees that the much hyped UX or user interface in the digital work for apps, need to be replicated in the city: fluidity as the norm.
For Brussels, it seems that for example a pedestrian zone full of anti terrorism cement blocks is not a fluid city; non synchronous trafic lights also not; or bike roads that end nowhere.
The book states that in terms of geography and population density, nearly the whole of the Flemish territory can be considered as a city area (vs rural one).
Brussels is the digital motor for a whole region, and the surrounding cities (Leuven, Mechelen, Vilvoorde, Wavre, Aalst, Denderleeuw,...) need to click their wagon onto this locomotive; a focus need to be taken on location and way of housing, that inhibits the real mobility problem and that is actually the underlying reason of it. Call it the geographic confettis of living in suburbia. (in Dutch: the 'verkavelvlaming')
Suburbia itself is the current mainstream mindset, as shared in a brilliant intervention by VUB professor Eric Corijn . The human city will as a concept not become supported, unless the paradigm of suburbia walhalla will change.
Special dedication to the opening of digityser today - a hub for human people that want to shape the digital future of Brussels
The book the human city was presented there. There are a few topics that are quite innovative regarding the Smart city and regarding the rol of Brussels as the digital hub.
These definitely are not approaches that are shared by a lot of people (yet), but shed an optimistic light on the perspective of a human and sustainable city.
Regarding computer literacy, it is no longer about using a mouse or a smart phone: it is about real data literacy moving up at a higher level for decision makers, and other: how to use data, understand it, understand the implications of data and the way to handle it in an ethical way.
Regarding the structure of the city, it sees that the much hyped UX or user interface in the digital work for apps, need to be replicated in the city: fluidity as the norm.
For Brussels, it seems that for example a pedestrian zone full of anti terrorism cement blocks is not a fluid city; non synchronous trafic lights also not; or bike roads that end nowhere.
The book states that in terms of geography and population density, nearly the whole of the Flemish territory can be considered as a city area (vs rural one).
Brussels is the digital motor for a whole region, and the surrounding cities (Leuven, Mechelen, Vilvoorde, Wavre, Aalst, Denderleeuw,...) need to click their wagon onto this locomotive; a focus need to be taken on location and way of housing, that inhibits the real mobility problem and that is actually the underlying reason of it. Call it the geographic confettis of living in suburbia. (in Dutch: the 'verkavelvlaming')
Suburbia itself is the current mainstream mindset, as shared in a brilliant intervention by VUB professor Eric Corijn . The human city will as a concept not become supported, unless the paradigm of suburbia walhalla will change.
Special dedication to the opening of digityser today - a hub for human people that want to shape the digital future of Brussels
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