How do you envision the city of the future?

An essay presentation by

CARLOS ALEJANDRO PINEDA PINEL

For application to IE´s GEMBA

The urbanization trend will continue

Main Predictions•Cities will be more interconnected both within and

outside• There will be less pollution and congestion and more

energy efficiency• They will also face challenges regarding water and

food supply•My predictions are based on current trends

Governance

City Government • Government will be more

decentralized and responsive to public opinion (social media will make government more accountable). • Many services will be provided by

smaller communal units • There will be more voting and citizen

consultation. • Voting will be easier and done

electronically (possibly through mobile devices).

Environment

General Predictions

• Resources will be handled more efficiently • Cleaner energy production,

more efficient traffic management and better transportation will reduce pollution

Water

• Water resources will become strained by population growth. • Water use technologies will

become more efficient. • Yards and gardens will be heavily

taxed, more parks and green areas will be built and maintained by the city.

Waste Management• Increasing cost of land

for landfills will make cities tax non-recyclable garbage• ”Repair shops” will have

a bit of a resurgence

Energy and Resources

Energy• Cities will be cleaner and

more energy efficient• Solar panels will become

more efficient, cost friendly and aesthetic• Energy storage will be more

efficient.

Electrical Grid• Solar panels on rooftops and

windows will become prevalent.• More people will generate their

own energy. • Houses will be interconnected

and excess energy will be sold to less efficient or more energy demanding consumers.

Transportation and

Communications

Connectivity• Cities will be more

interconnected through better and more reliable transportation. • Better transport infrastructure

will be built (Airports, Hyperloop, Maglev or others).• New transportation systems, will

allow people to live and work in different cities.

Logistics and Transport

• Autonomous trucks and airplanes will bring down logistic costs and consumer prices• Drone delivery and 3D

printing will make brick and mortar stores less necessary

Traffic• Less vehicles will be necessary to

convey a similar level of mobility as on demand car services become prevalent• Self-driving cars will decongest roads

and make them almost accident free. • Alternative forms of mobility such as

cycling and walking will be incentivized.• Less parking space will be required,

improving congestion.

Security and Privacy

Privacy• Cities will be less private.• Cameras, tracking devices on

vehicles and roads and other types of invasive technologies will become accepted intrusions• Government will become more

intrusive and responsive as cities become neural networks that collect information on behavioral patterns

Police• Surveillance technology will

make police less visible and more effective• Response time from

emergency services will improve dramatically.• Police-citizen personal

interactions will become less frequent

Work and Leisure

Work• Better communications will

allow more people to work from home, office buildings will be less necessary• Commuting from home will

allow for more leisure time. • New industries around said

leisure will rise.

Entertainment• Information from social

networks will create more personalized services. For instance, businesses will welcome new costumers by name and offer items catered to their personal tastes. • Advertising will be everpresent,

more personalized and invasive.

Challenges

Challenges• Land prices will continue to rise

exponentially• Vertical farms will be necessary to

reduce food transportation costs• Even with more efficient policing,

crime will remain an issue• Some cities will still struggle with

poverty and new forms of social welfare will have to be created

THANK YOU