Striking the right balance between the human experience and technology is key to creating vibrant, inclusive cities. A new discussion paper delves into the crystal ball to see how smart precincts will dramatically change our cities over the next 20 to 30 years.
The discussion paper -The Future of the Smart Precinct launched today by Mirvac Group (ASX:MGR) – explores the impact of city-wide innovation and regeneration and the physical-digital mix of the smart precinct as a predictor for the future of our workplaces and cities.
Importantly, the paper provides an insight into how workplaces will be organised in the future and how technology will impact a company’s staff.
“As the testbeds for urban innovation and workplace trends, smart precincts are emerging as the most exciting projects of our time, providing an insight into the future of work and how our environment will be shaped in the next 20 to 30 years,” Mirvac General Manager of Workplace Experiences Paul Edwards said.
Striking a balance between the human experience and the rise of technology is at the heart of future development and will be key to creating vibrant, collaborative and inclusive cities for generations to come.”
The discussion paper outlines the changing demographics of urban populations, sustainability and advances in technology such as the increase of AI and robotics, as the global drivers underpinning the evolution of smart precincts.
“AI and robotics will play an increasingly prominent role in smart precincts, from the garbagebots that will collect the rubbish to the chatbots that will replace humans in many routine office jobs. The need to reskill our workforces in the face of this automation will bring the education and lifelong learning mission of the smart precinct to the fore,” Mr Edwards added.
One of the key principles uncovered in the report is The New Space Logics. This refers to the sharing of space and social organisation where large corporates share office space with start-ups to foster innovation and knowledge sharing.
The report identifies four other new concepts appearing in smart precincts:
- The New Bargain – technology companies, citizens and city planners will strike up a deal to ensure all parties benefit from the flow of data within new smart precincts
- Creative Citizenship – the use of online collaborative platforms allowing citizens to co-design their public spaces
- Foreground-Background – the importance of smart precincts creating a new blend of urban change and continuity, combining noisy public areas with spaces for quiet reflection
- The Civic Supermind – the connection between technology and people in a smart precinct to generate a collective intelligence
The Future of the Smart Precinct discussion paper was launched following WORKTECH 2018 in Sydney this week.
Mirvac partnered with WORKTECH Academy, a global knowledge platform for the future of work, to co-author the report. The discussion paper is the sequel to Mirvac’s ‘The Intermix Approach: Activating the Smart Precinct’ discussion paper launched at WORKTECH last year.
