Adapting to a Technology-Driven Future
There is no time like the present to consider the ways in which our cities, and the way we design them, must be adapted to address the changing world we live in. In the face of uncertainty regarding our future, the need to evolve is even more pressing than ever before and we are faced with the challenge, as professionals, of finding ways to evolve our engagement processes, client relations, workspaces and, more broadly, the form our urban spaces take. Whether it be the rapid evolution and integration of technology, changes in societal and economic health, or new social trends, the question is no longer about how we should design in the present, but rather how we plan our cities for an ambiguous future.
While there is no way to predict exactly where our world is headed, it is clear that our societies will become increasingly reliant on technology in the coming years. While there are many applications for technologies in our cities, the following potential uses and benefits will be explored further, speaking to IBI Group’s wealth of experience in successful smart city creation.
In order to ensure that our cities are still livable and vibrant, tech-based design solutions should be paired with a human understanding of creating places in which people actually want to live, work and play. Finally, in the creation of smart cities that actively leverage technologies on a day-to-day basis, creating spaces to connect with nature and escape our digital world is also essential to deriving this balance. In addition, technology should be integrated only in ways that are practical and impactful, rather than redundant and surface-level, to ensure that the benefits are readily experienced and that technology is not integrated in vain.
It is clear that technology has the power to drastically change and actively shape our communities and cities moving forward. At IBI Group, we strive to responsibly incorporate technology into our design of vibrant, livable and inclusive spaces in the hopes of defining the cities of tomorrow.
With a background in Architecture, Urban Design and Planning, Ashish Ghate brings a keen eye for good urban form and the complexities of city building to his role as a project manager and urban designer/planner. Ashish has worked on a variety of master planning and site planning projects based in North, Central and South America, Middle East, Eastern Europe, and India. His experience includes all aspects of project development and spans multiple scales ranging from regional plans, master plans, transit-oriented-design, streetscape master plans, urban intensification projects and guidelines focusing on policy as well as detailed design standards. Ashish’s impressive portfolio includes a number projects focused on the importance of urban design and the balance between functional and aesthetic concerns of a project. Whereas his architectural background brings a solid building typology and infrastructure knowledge base to his work.
