Can a smart city also be an attractive, vibrant and liveable city?

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Despite efforts to work on human-centered smart cities, ICT and other technical solutions still dominate smart city development. Take for example Songdo City in South Korea, at the time billed as the world’s smartest city, yet it is having a difficult time attracting people. Despite all the high-tech installations and green spaces, the city is infamous for its lack of life and culture. This raises questions about the future of cities not only as technological marvels, but also as liveable places for humans, plants and animals.

This panel will provide a critical discussion from the perspectives of the humanities and social sciences raising questions about whether the smart city is also a liveable city?