BridgingEuropeanUrbanTransformations

WorkshopSeriesinBrussels2016-2017

FundedbytheESRC

1stWorkshop

(Un)PluggingDatainSmartCity-Regions

Co-organisedinpartnershipbythe

UniversityofOxford–UrbanTransformationswww.urbantransformations.ox.ac.uk

&VUB–BrusselsCentreforUrbanStudies

www.urbanstudies.brussels

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Date:14thNovember2016Duration:9:00-16:00Venue:SMIT(www.smit.vub.ac.be)–BoulevarddelaPlaine9,1050Etterbeek,VrijeUniversiteitBrussel,Brussels,BelgiumTopicAttentiontotheapplicationofnewinformationflowsandthedevelopmentoftheso-called ‘smart cities’ paradigm is increasing; however, there is still limitedunderstanding of the interconnections between ‘hard,’ ‘smart’ infrastructures andeconomic, political and social systems on metropolitan and regional scales.Furthermore,thisparadigmhasoftenfailedtodeliverpracticaltoolsthatcanhelpustobetterunderstandandinterveneinourdailyrealities,whilealsoengagingwiththevariousstakeholdersthatareimportantforourcitiesandregions.Theworkshopaimstorethinkthedominanttechnocraticandtechnology-centricsmartcitydiscourse:notbyimaginingcitiesbeyondorbeforetechnologies,butbyacceptingthatcity-regionsarealreadyfundamentallyshapedbynetworkedandmobileICTsandby critically thinking through the governance consequences of the promises andrealitiesofsmartcities.Forexample,manyarguethatsmartcity-regionswillinevitablyrevolvearoundgeneratinglargeamountsofdataandthatthisinitselfwillleadtonewinsightsandgovernancestrategies.Butinreality,city-regionsaremuchmorecomplexand shaped by a large variety of different actors and organisations with oftenconflicting positions. Another strand of debate emphasizes the impact of near-universaluptakeofsmartphonesandotherhand-helddevicesaswellastheimpactofthe Internet of Things i.e. networks of data-gathering sensors and cloud computing.Manyusethesedevicesandnetworksonadailybasis,butwhatthismeans forcity-regionalgovernanceandthepower-ladenrelationshipsbetweencitizens,governmentsand companies remains an open question. All this makes truly ‘smart’ city-regionalgovernance exceedingly difficult, but at the same time a fascinating and rewardingscaleforinvestigatingthevariousmeaningsandusagesof‘smartness’.Overthelastyears,variousresearchprojectsacrossEuropehavestartedinvestigatingthese issues. Most seek to develop not just critical analyses, but also practicalsuggestions to tackle urban problems such as pollution, health, safety or mobilitythrough the development and use of various types of mobile and networked data.Buildingonthisemergingbodyofresearch,theworkshop(Un)PluggingDatainSmartCity-Regionswill bring together a groupof Europeanacademics andpolicymakers inordertounpackandquestion:

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1. the kinds of knowledge gained through the production, distribution and use of

‘smart’data;2. the role data plays in the constitution of urban expertise and in mediating and

transformingtherelationshipsbetweencitizens,governmentsandcompanies;and3. thewaysinwhichdata-drivenknowledgeandexpertisetacklesand/orreproduces

inequalitiesincity-regions.Morebroadly,weaimtoexplorehownewstrategiesofdatacollection,storage,andusage harness urban and regional smart governance models to guide city-regionaldecision-makingprocesses.ProgrammeTheone-dayworkshopcommenceswithawelcomingintroductionfromProf.MichaelKeith, co-ordinator of the Urban Transformations ESRC portfolio, and Prof. Bas vanHeur,co-ordinatoroftheBrusselsCentreforUrbanStudiesashost institution. Itwillbefollowedbysixslotsandsomespeakerswhoareexpertsinthefield:threefromtheUrbanTransformationsESRCportfolioprojectsandsevenfromtheVUB.Theworkshopwillalsoincludesmalldebategroupsledbyeachsection.Eachsmallgroupwilldeliversomeconclusionsattheendoftheworkshop.The workshop wants to emphasize an interdisciplinary dialogue, bridge the gapbetween theory and practice, and encourage knowledge exchange betweenacademics,policymakers,citizens,andactivists.IfyouareinterestedinparticipatingintheworkshoppleaseregistertotheworkshopviaEvenbrite:https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/unplugging-data-in-smart-city-regions-tickets-26793797971Alternatively,pleasecontactcoordinatorsdirectlyvia:igor.calzada@compas.ox.ac.ukCoordination:

• DrIgorCalzada,MBA(UOxf-UT)www.igorcalzada.com/abouthttp://www.urbantransformations.ox.ac.uk/people/igor-calzada@icalzada&igor.calzada@compas.ox.ac.uk

• ProfBasVanHeur(VUB-BCUS)http://www.cosmopolis.be/people/bas-van-heur@basvanheur&bvheur@vub.ac.be

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PreliminaryAgenda:

9:00-9:20Welcome:ProfMichaelKeith(UT-UOxf)&ProfBasvanHeur(BCUS-VUB).

• @MichaelKeith18&michael.keith@compas.ox.ac.uk• @basvanheur&bvheur@vub.ac.be

9:20:9:40Introduction:MrRichardTuffs

• DirectorofERRIN(EuropeanRegionsResearchandInnovationNetwork)9:40-10:40NewSourcesForDataCollection,StorageAndUsage(Section1/3)

• 9:40-10:10ProfessorPeterTriantafillou(UniversityofGlasgow&UBDC)@UrbanBigData&Peter.Triantafillou@glasgow.ac.ukUrbanBigDataCentrehttp://ubdc.ac.uk/about/our-team/directors/peter-triantafillou/

• 10:10-10:40DrPaulCowie(NewcastleUniversity&ESRC/FutureCitiesCatapult)@politicalidiot&paul.cowie@newcastle.ac.ukFutureCitiesCatapulthttp://www.urbantransformations.ox.ac.uk/people/paul-cowie/

10:40-11:10Debate:NewSourcesForDataCollection,StorageAndUsage

11:10-11:40Coffee-breakandNetworking11:40-12:40UrbanExpertiseforCitizen/UsersInvolvement(Section2/3)

• 11:40-12:10DrCarinaVeeckman&DrPaulienCoppens(SMIT-VUB)@VeeckmanCarina&carina.veeckman@iminds.be@PaulienCoppens&paulien.coppens@iminds.beHackAIR(CollectiveAwarenessforAirQuality)http://www.hackair.eu

• 12:10-12:55ProfessorWolfgangDeMeuter,LizzyBleumers,JesseZaman&KevinPinte(SOFT-VUB)@wdmeuter&wdmeuter@vub.ac.beFlamenco(FlandersMobileEnactedCitizenObservatories)http://citizen-observatory.be

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12:55-13:15Debate:Citizen/UsersInvolvement

13:15-14:00Lunchtime

14:00-15:00SmartKnowledgeandExpertisetoTackleUrbanInequalities(Section3/3)

• 14:00-14:30ProfessorPieterBallon(SMIT-VUB)

@PieterBallon&pieter.ballon@vub.ac.beCityofThings:Data-DrivenLivingLabforSocio-EconomicExperiments

• 14:30-15:00DrJoanaBarros(Birkbeck,UniversityofLondon)@jxbarros&j.barros@bbk.ac.ukRESOLUTION:ResilientSystemsfOrLandUseTransportatIONhttp://www.urbantransformations.ox.ac.uk/project/resolution-resilient-systems-for-land-use-transportation

15:00-15:30Debate:UrbanInequalities

15:30-16:00Wrapping-UpandConclusionsIncooperationwith:RSA–SmartCityRegionalGovernanceforSustainabilityResearchNetwork

• http://www.regionalstudies.org/networks/network/smart-city-regional-governance-for-sustainability

• http://rsan-smartgov-events.ioer.info/index.htmlHashtag:#UnpluggingData