Digitalization transforms our cities, with far-reaching efforts towards technology-powered increased efficiency, sustainability and at times participation.
This raises new questions on privacy, data governance and (digital) design, historically unaddressed by city planning, architecture, civil society and governance.
Lectures & Discussion City Making in the Digital Age @ Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society, Berlin, 21 February 2019
Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society
The Alexander von Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society (HIIG) was founded in 2011 to research the development of the internet from a societal perspective and better understand the digitalisation of all spheres of life. As the first institute in Germany with a focus on internet and society, HIIG has established an understanding that centres on the deep interconnectedness of digital innovations and societal processes. The development of technology reflects norms, values and networks of interests, and conversely, technologies, once established, influence social values.
Climate City explores how digital technologies contribute to addressing climate adaptation and develops digitalization strategies that take urban sustainability into account.
Climate City focuses on digitally supported participatory climate adaptation and is committed to the idea that a smart city should be a climate-conscious city.
Lectures & Discussions Climate City @ Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society, Berlin, 20 November 2019
Digitalization transforms our cities, with far-reaching efforts towards technology-powered increased efficiency, sustainability and at times participation. This raises new questions on privacy, data governance and (digital) design, historically unaddressed by city planning, architecture, civil society and governance. With cities worldwide striving to earn a “Smart City” reputation, it is however disputed who exactly benefits from these concepts.
Eager to showcase themselves as innovative and future-ready, cities worldwide are currently in the process of implementing an array of new technologies. These are intended to make city life more efficient, convenient, sustainable, and in some cases, even more democratic. This developments, framed as the “Smart City,” often take the form of sensors that gather data about traffic conditions, air quality, waste collection, energy use and more – all generating reams of data with the goal of to enabling governments to make informed decisions and to optimize processes of urban infrastructure. Next to this, digital platforms offer services that transform the city (use). Many cities also partner with private companies in their quest to become “smart”, hoping to profit from external tech knowledge to make up for a lack of in-house expertise.
Centering the empowerment of the city user, the Smart Citizen, it is urgent to approach and steer technological developments to meet citizens’ needs and desires, supporting our visions of how we want to live in our cities!
Benjamin Knödler, der Freitag
Marleen Stikker is the keynote speaker at City Making Lab that Hybrid Space Lab is organizing together with Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society on Thursday 21 February 2019.
Marleen is the co-founder of WAAG Society, an Amsterdam based interdisciplinary non-profit media lab and research institute. In her work, she aims to put social values at the core of technology by creating and promoting open, fair and inclusive innovations. She has been active in the field of internet and digital activism since the early nineties.
Beate Albert, Head Berlin Partner Smart City Unit
City Making in the Digital Age is introduced by the curators of the City Making Lab program, Christian Grauvogel (Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society) and Prof. Elizabeth Sikiaridi and Prof. Frans Vogelaar (Hybrid Space Lab).
* How can technology meaningfully improve citizens’ lives?
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