Welcome to Dofeature: Lessons from the Senseable City Lab
posted on August 3, 2023 by Youngjun Park
As members of ‘Dofeature’, our interdisciplinary group of researchers hailing from fields as diverse as architecture, urban planning, economy, and computer science, we strive to explore and understand the complex ecosystem of urban life. Today, I want to share insights from an inspiring article by Carlo Ratti, leader of the Senseable City Lab (SCL) at MIT, who has explored similar urban questions. His journey may inspire our own exploration of the ‘urban,’ the environment we all share and shape.
Who is Carlo Ratti?
Carlo Ratti is a unique figure combining expertise in civil engineering, architecture, and computer science. His early work at MIT’s Media Lab led to a fascination with smart objects, eventually escalating to a more profound interest in buildings and cities themselves.
Ratti founded the Senseable City Lab at MIT in 2004. The choice of the name ‘senseable’ over ‘smart’ reflects a desire not just to optimize cities but to create urban environments that respond and listen to people, making them as dynamic as the inhabitants themselves.
Summary of Article: The Path to a Human-centric City
Ratti’s article, “Creating a Human-centric City with Digital Tools,” reflects on his two-decade-long journey with the Senseable City Lab (SCL) at MIT. This pioneering research has focused on understanding how people actually interact with cities and how urban environments could be dynamically responsive to human behavior.
Interdisciplinarity and Diversity
Ratti emphasizes the interdisciplinary nature of SCL, fostering collaboration between engineers, architects, physicists, computer scientists, and urban planners. This interdisciplinary approach allows for a diverse array of knowledge and methodologies, bridging technology and urbanism.
Utilizing Technology and Data
The innovative use of smartphones, digital sensing, and Big Data played a crucial role in SCL’s research. Projects such as “Real-Time Rome” (2006) and “Urban Sensing” employed these technologies to understand human movement, communication, and various urban phenomena.
Urban Research Topics
Ratti’s team delves into several areas, including:
- Human Movement SCL’s work uncovered new insights into how people move within cities. Projects like “Wanderlust” and studies into human consistency and inconsistency in travel paths have shown that people often take the ‘pointiest path,’ despite efficiency. The understanding of human movement has potential applications in creating more walkable neighborhoods.
- Communication and Connectivity Projects like “New York Talk Exchange” tracked telecommunications, revealing how different neighborhoods in New York City connected globally. This opened up a conversation about privacy and digital devices’ potential risks.
- Citizens and Governance SCL has been involved in innovative projects like “Trash Track,” where sensors attached to garbage provided insight into waste management. The lab has also engaged in addressing pressing issues such as the COVID-19 pandemic’s social implications and climate crisis, emphasizing citizen engagement and bottom-up action.
Challenges and Human-Centric Approaches
Ratti highlights the evolution of his role within SCL and the challenges faced, such as balancing administrative responsibilities with research engagement. The lab’s continued efforts to reinvent itself and stay aligned with cutting-edge trends showcase a commitment to solving current urban challenges.
The underlying theme of Ratti’s article is the shift from the ‘smart city’ concept to the ‘senseable city.’ Rather than optimizing urban environments, SCL aims to create spaces that listen to people and respond to their needs. This involves embracing chaos and serendipity and fostering collective participation and empowerment.
Dofeature’s Journey
As we continue to journey through the complexities of urban life at Dofeature, Ratti’s article serves as a treasure trove of insights into the work of the Senseable City Lab and its mission to blend technology and urbanism into a human-centric perspective. These experiences and lessons resonate with Dofeature’s goals and provide an inspiring pathway to understanding urban living environments. The focus on inclusivity, collaboration, technological innovation, and practical solutions sets a compelling and thoughtful precedent for interdisciplinary urban research. Let’s carry forward the human-centric approach and innovative spirit as we work to shape urban environments that are responsive, dynamic, and deeply connected to people who live together.
Reference: Ratti, C.(2023) Creating a Human-centric City with Digital Tools, Buildings and Cities. https://www.buildingsandcities.org/insights/research-pathways/human-centric-city.html