With the Smart City discourse, technology companies are reaching far into the field of architects and planners. The basis for these developments is our (user) data, which not at least enable new planning and design tools. However, the algorithms, equations, and conclusions behind these tools and applications are not unquestionable truths. They are neither neutral nor objective or even factual. It is people standing behind them—data analysts and programmers, corporations and private networks—whose decisions shape our imaginations and determine how we live together.
The Smart City promises security, comfort, and sustainability without talking about equal conditions for citizens and living conditions. It thus undermines the traditional values of freedom, equality, and fraternity as social and urban planning principles behind the city. In addition, the marginalization of people through autonomous technology is increasing. In this technocratic vision, concepts such as the human being, the city, and society are nothing more than “algorithmic assemblages.” Therefore, the implications concern not only the social interaction but also our self-image. In this context, the role of architects is up for negotiation anew—or have they long since become obsolete? Read less