Describing the Life of Public Spaces in an Era of Data in Cities

In this talk, our guest speaker Anthony Vanky will explore a data-driven approach to urban design and the creation of public spaces. This approach leverages data collected from various sources within modern cities. Anthony will delve into what types of data can be tracked and the insights drawn from analyzing this information. We will discuss how something as seemingly mundane as trash can provide designers, policymakers, and decision-makers with valuable data to make cities more comfortable and sustainable places to live. The talk will review research cases from the MIT Senseable City Lab and other research from Anthony’s experience, providing an overview of the sensing technologies and other methods cities use to collect data about their inhabitants. Additionally, we will address the major obstacles and ethical considerations associated with data-driven behavioral analysis in urban environments. The discussion will cover universal challenges facing contemporary cities, emerging trends, and future possibilities for data collection technologies. The goal is to shed light on how a data-informed approach can shape the design and development of vibrant public spaces in the smart cities of tomorrow. Guest Speaker: Anthony Vanky, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor at the Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation. He has previously held appointments in urban planning and technology at the University of Michigan and urban design at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Trained as an architect (Tulane University, ), urban designer (MIT, S.M.), and urban planner (MIT, Ph.D.), he focuses on technology-based practices in urban planning and design. Vanky’s research considers the use of digital data and pervasive sensing technologies in designing, planning, and evaluating urban environments and spans the disciplines of urban design, urban technologies, computational social science, innovation studies, and public health.