Cities are the driving force behind the global economy – according to McKinsey, just 600 cities are responsible for 60% of the global GDP – and the number of people living in cities is expected to increase from 3.6 billion in 2010 to 6.3 billion in 2050.
What strategies can cities adopt to plan, build and maintain themselves as centres of innovation and economic growth?
Design trends for future cities
Before discussing investment strategies, it’s worth considering why cities have been growing for the last 5,000 years. In short, it’s because they have proven to be an incredibly durable and productive economic model. The shift to urban living is helping to increase the incomes and purchasing power for millions around the world.
Infrastructure plays a critical role in a city’s success, providing the energy, water, transportation, waste management and access to food and manufactured goods. Vital to a city’s well-being, infrastructure supports more than basic needs; it encourages the ability to interact, communicate with ease and share ideas – the fundamental basics of innovation and future economic growth.
Investments in infrastructure also throw strong focus on the idea that it is part of a country’s long term plan towards development. An example of this can be seen in countries in the Middle East region, which are spending unprecedented amounts on their economic and social infrastructure. For these projects, Autodesk software can be utilised exclusively to help create 3D computer models, animations and exhibits that can later be used for legislative approvals, public outreach, media and overall communication initiatives. As such, design software from Autodesk has been used in many infrastructure projects across the globe including USA, UK, China, Russia, India, Norway, Brazil, and Sweden.
Today, people move to cities for many reasons, including access to jobs, schools, services and culture. What will the city of the future look like? Quality of life is likely to be even more important in years to come, and factors like sustainability, resiliency, energy efficiency, quality housing and schools, safety and even happiness will be requirements. Cities will be adaptive, collaborative, walkable, and everyone will have access to public services and public transportation.
Design trends point to more greenery for buildings, with rooftop gardens and vertical farming. Urban planning is moving toward mixed-use zoning that will provide office and shared space ideal for collaboration. Social and entrepreneurial connectivity is becoming ubiquitous, supporting a rise in mobility and self-employment. A thriving city has ease of movement and adaptable transportation, making it possible to move people from one point to another quickly and with minimal energy. Cities are championing ‘access through proximity’ over ‘access through mobility’ as a way of reaping huge economic and environmental benefits; including higher tax revenues, healthier residents, better use of existing infrastructure, and reduced demand for fossil fuels.
Big data, technology and people
It is people, however, not technology, that makes a city. An informed public will be critical to any approvals for proposed new or rehabilitation projects to improve a city’s economic competitiveness. Today’s technology supports big data; cities and commercial firms can use data to create and present proposals for new designs shown within their existing surroundings or conduct analysis for population growth, weather impact and many other factors. Allowing people to plug in to the data can help facilitate communications and smooth the approvals process.
The biggest challenge is defining what we want our future to be; only with clear objectives can we achieve our goals. Information matters because when it comes time to rationalise spending finite resources, we need to be able to do this on social and environmental – as well as economic – factors.
Advanced technology for simulation, visualisation and analysis is already in wide use today in the manufacturing sector and is growing rapidly in the infrastructure and construction industries to better understand projects. These tools use intelligent 3D models to quickly evaluate multiple design options and help predict the physical and functional performance of the finished project under a variety of conditions. Known as BIM (Building Information Modelling) by planners, engineers, architects, contractors and owners, the process is also valuable in helping achieve significant productivity improvements.
With the rise of big data and the availability of advanced modelling technology, it is now possible to plan and prioritise investments in urban development with greater foresight, communicate the potential outcomes in a better manner, and yield measurably better results. More importantly, this technology, along with social and mobile platforms, now provides a means to engage all stakeholders – from citizens to professionals – earlier and throughout the process in a way that is easily understood.
Ultimately, it’s those people who live and work in cities who matter. Big data and simulation technology can help people design and make the infrastructure investments their cities need for a future of renewed economic and environmental vitality.