The question I would like to address today is one that is fundamental to our work: why make a city together?
It is a fundamental question that requires re-examination in light of the ever-changing global landscape. What are the core principles that underpin the concept of community? If we are to build smart, sustainable cities, it is first and foremost essential to understand what makes urban life meaningful and what it is that makes us human.
Aristotle observed that humans are inherently social creatures, aptly describing us as “political animals.” In other words, he believed that we are inherently social creatures, driven by an innate need to form communities and construct cities together. It is important to note that the city is not simply a place where structures are erected. It is the epitome of our nature, a space where we congregate with the common goal of growth and advancement. It is this aspiration that should be at the core of any smart city initiative.
As I said previously, smart city is not merely a collection of technologies or a cluster of connected buildings. It is a space where the pursuit of collective well-being is inextricably linked to technological advancement, where every digital tool is a means of enhancing our capacity to live together. This necessitates a rethinking of our relationship with others and the prioritization of cooperation in all initiatives. In this regard, I am inspired by Jean-Jacques Rousseau and his concept of the social contract. It is through an implicit or explicit agreement that citizens pledge mutual respect and assistance, in exchange for the assurance that the community will strive for the collective good.
It is essential for the Smart City to recognize and develop the concept of a technological social contract, which is the foundation for a successful urban environment. How can we guarantee that every innovation and infrastructure project contributes to this mutual aid and shared life agreement? While technology can sometimes create distance between us, it can also, and above all, become the means of strengthening our collective ability to live together, to share, and to understand one another. It is essential that our digital tools facilitate the interpretation of individual experiences and the construction of a collective narrative.
This vision of the smart city is not solely focused on efficiency. In our pursuit of modernity, it would be understandable to prioritize material benefits. As Hannah Arendt observed, “political action is the highest expression of human freedom.” In a city, this freedom is manifested when residents choose to become involved, participate in the city’s activities, express their opinions, and collectively shape their living environment. In order for this to be feasible in a smart city, urban systems must facilitate human interaction, dialogue, and citizen participation. The value of technology is contingent upon its capacity to facilitate active engagement with our surrounding environment, thereby enhancing our freedom of action.
A Smart City must therefore be designed with the objective of fostering a sense of ownership among all citizens, whereby they feel invested with the ability and the right to contribute. Inclusion is a core tenet of my vision. There are numerous cities all over the world where cultural and social realities are diverse and complex. These cities have a unique opportunity to avoid the pitfalls of past urban models and to draw inspiration from them to create cities where everyone has their place, where local specificities are valued, and where citizens are empowered to act.
This brings us back to another founding idea, that of the philosopher Emmanuel Levinas, who believed that “ethics begins with the recognition of others“. The creation of a city together entails the establishment of spaces where technology is leveraged to augment the value of each individual, recognizing their dignity and uniqueness. A Smart City must be accessible to all, not just a select few or those with advanced digital skills. A city’s intelligence is defined by its capacity to include, connect, and create value for its residents.
I encourage you to join me in considering the implications of city-building and the rationale behind this decision. The objective of creating smart cities is not merely to live in more connected environments. Rather, it is to develop places where technology enhances our most valuable human attributes: empathy, solidarity, and the capacity to support one another. The city of the future will not be defined by the number of sensors or screens it possesses, but by its ability to address this fundamental question: how can we construct a city together, for the benefit of all?
