Integrating pervasive technologies into architecture and urban planning. Theoretical framework and case study application of temporary responsive environments for micro-open places

New Technologies are changing the social and urban structure of cities. Their ability to fade into the background hides the real impact they have on the shape and life of the public realm. Cities have been pushed into being “smart” by corporations, as if “smart” were to be just another word for technologically advanced. In fact, a “smart city” is not about technology per-se, it’s about exploiting the information those technologies provide and the possibilities they offer. Understanding the information they provide means understanding how to use that technology. Access to information and knowledge is key for a participatory system, where transparency and social equality are the norm, and University is the place and main actor that can create such conditions. Universities have been isolated facilities in the heart of the city, and now have the possibility to step up and take part in the urban life. As of now, through the study of several smart city initiatives around the globe, Academic facilities seems to be getting more and more involved in the urban life, giving their expertise to the municipalities. They share their knowledge and offer an open source and multidisciplinary approach that can be the backbone of urban planning. An interactive approach between Municipality, University, private sector and citizens can bring to projects that are responsive to people’s needs generating at the same time a discourse between technology, governance, social innovation and societal needs. Strong of these collaborations, the City will become an open air laboratory for material exploration, testing of architectural designs and the understanding first-hand of the impact of a participatory decision-making process on the well-being of society. This thesis explores in particular the interaction between Municipalities, Universities and citizens in the making of Cities through the analysis of several city initiatives classified as smart; I look into a series of architectural and designs projects to visualise the connection between the objectives and characteristics of smart planning and responsive designs. Using a temporary structure I investigate how materials that have smart qualities embedded, such as the capacity to sense and respond to external environmental stimuli, can be design drivers in architecture, leading to responsive environments. These materials, through their characteristics and their interaction with the environment, can act on situated problems and engage people in experiencing knowledge through the changing perception of a public place.