From 'digital' to 'smart': upgrading the city

In this paper we seek to reflect on the way in which 'digital cities' later re-emerge as 'smart cities' (both in terms of the approaches and also the actual cities) and what lessons can be learned about the role of ICTs in how they shape urban space. We will focus on looking at how the lack of understanding of the city as a 'place' is often a common factor in the lack of longevity in 'digital city' initiatives and discuss the corresponding implications for the emergence of 'smart cities'. We draw on a study of the city of Bristol, UK in order to look at the variety of initiatives that took Bristol from a 1990's digital city to the current 'smart' projects. We conclude by reflecting on what can be learnt from the lessons of the failed Digital City projects of 1990's and discuss the role that placemaking could play in the development of socially and spatially sustainable smart cities

The production of digital public spaces

Digital media are noticeably changing the qualities of urban public spaces, which can no longer be considered a purely physical construct. Yet, the extent to which contemporary digital media can be used to promote other forms of spatial agency remains a critical issue. Whereas the impact of technology from a macro perspective offers a globalizing and homogenizing image, its role in the production of space at a local scale is less clear (Kirsch 1995). The aim of this study is to argue for digital public spaces as a concrete programme to support the articulation of a third notion of public space that emerges at the interface of physical–digital hybrid spaces (Stikker 2013). The project for digital public spaces is posed as one that pursues enabling citizens’ rights to participation and appropriation (Purcell 2002) of physical–digital hybrid spaces. It is argued that while physical and digital spaces do not stand in opposition, their operational models do not fit seamlessly either. Therefore, the research is particularly concerned with how to design for the conditions that allow a dialogical relation between physical and digital features of space, and enable citizens to actively participate in the production of physical–digital hybrid spaces, and for which a dialectical mode of analysis is required. Following a cumulative narrative, the study explores different characterizations of digital public spaces, which have been articulated through design-led action research projects conducted in collaboration with academia, creative industries, citizens and public authorities. The study accomplishes a novel application of the unitary theory of space proposed by the Marxist French philosopher and sociologist, Henri Lefebvre (1992), which is revisited to develop a novel framework to reveal the social production of physical–digital hybrid spaces. The framework is developed through practice, and extensively applied throughout the thesis illustrating three distinctive dominating perspectives of physical–digital hybrid spaces: substitution, co-evolution and recombination (Graham 1998). The framework has proved to be a flexible and insightful method of analysis that: enables approaching the social production of physical and digital spaces individually and in relation to one another; to understand how different spatial configurations allow for participation and appropriation; and in turn, to re-contextualize the right to the city (Lefebvre 1996) in digital public spaces

Smart city development, blockchain for the vehicle registry: a study in Romania

The current state of business worldwide is being challenged by technology, which completely transforms old and arduous processes. As the main modern concern is overall data protection and the greater aim is building smarter cities, companies and government agencies are increasingly focused on blockchain databases. This paper focuses on the vehicle market, as it is continuously evolving sales-wise, technology-wise and for comfort/driving possibilities. While studies (Meticulous Market Research, 2020) show that vehicle Artificial Intelligence grows in revenue, they also prove that this is an insecure market, due to miss opportune hackings. Thus, a greater need for security is being expressed all over the vehicle market and many industry players have shifted their attention towards blockchain and its benefits. This paper investigates and describes the concept of vehicle industry in Romania focusing on students sampled from a small demographic segment, due to research limitations. The aim of this study is to examine the importance of having a blockchain system implemented and what are the challenges to have this in place. By analyzing the surveys gathered from 150 students, this study has found that a huge percentage of respondents have a positive attitude towards this technology, hence this is a valid solution for future implementation as it is discussed below in this research