The disruption of mobility will affect parking space in a big way. I would like to explore the ramifications on multi-story parking structures in city centers. Would anyone like to share conceptualizing about this topic?
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State of Cities of Things: design for the interplay of humans, urban robotics, and physical AI

In 2018, the first paper on the Near Future in Cities of Things was published. Seven years later, we took the initiative to conduct exploratory research to reflect on the state of cities of things. Or, put differently: how should we assess the current state of urban robotics and physical AI?
In this interactive event, Iskander Smit will present the learnings from the research, and a panel of four of the approximately 25 interviewed experts will share their perspectives to kick off a discussion led by moderator Monique van Dusseldorp.
The central question is how the developments might impact and inspire the design of future cities, things, intelligent systems, and the interplay between these.
The panelists
- <strong>Maria Luce Lupetti</strong>; Assistant Professor in Design at Politecnico di Torino. She is co-director of POEL – Possible Entanglements Lab, a research group dedicated to investigating how people and technologies co-shape one another, and how design can help envision desirable configurations. She was the leading author of the first paper on Cities of Things in 2018. Maria Luce will reflect on the changes in human entanglement with the artificial world, particularly in complex technologies such as AI and robotics.
- <strong>Sen Lin</strong>; Senior Product Designer and AI Design Consultant. Sen was among the first students graduating in the Delft Design Lab Cities of Things. Sen just returned from a 2-month stay in China and will share his impressions from urban robotics there.
- <strong>Tomasz Jaskiewicz</strong> is a professor of civic prototyping at Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences. Tomasz is a founding partner in the creation of the Wijkbot platform for research through prototyping into urban robotics. He will share the learnings between experiments.
- <strong>Vera van der Burg</strong> is a designer, researcher, and Ph.D. candidate at TU Delft's Designing Intelligence Lab. Her research investigates how training AI models can become a reflective practice. With her research, she was awarded as Dutch Design Emerging Talent and FD Talent. She will reflect on the relations we build while applying (physical) AI.
- <strong>Iskander Smit</strong> is the founder of the Cities of Things, an expertise center for urban robotics and physical AI. Applying research through (speculative) design, connecting experts in knowledge events, and publishing via his weekly newsletter.
Monique will involve other interviewed experts and participants in the event to reflect on the impact of urban robotics and physical AI on the practice of creative industries, design methods, and on relations between humans and AI.
Before and after, there will be space to connect with other participants and explore the current Wijkbots.
Schedule:
15h00 - Doors open, mingle, explore Wijkbots
16h00 - Welcome and introduction to the results of the research by Iskander Smit
16h30 - Introductions of the positions by the panelists
17h00 - Interactive discussion with panel, participants
18h00 - Wrap up and drinks with bites
20h00 - End
If you can only join part of the event, you are welcome to join later.
Find more details about the program on the <strong>Cities of Things website</strong>.
The event is powered by CLICKNL, and registration is free, including drinks.
Sensemakers Workshop DIY Smart Glasses

During this evening Paul Stefaan Mooij will introduce the DIY Smart Glasses he developed, he is bringing several 'arms'. The PMSG kit lets you swap out those boring old arms from your (sun)glasses for a custom-made PCBA that looks and functions like something a hacker MacGyver would dream up. It fits just like the original—using the same hinges, screws, and probably duct tape somewhere—but now you’ve got space for sensors, connectors, and all the IoT magic you can pack onto your temples.
Join us to experiment, learn and envision new sensors and possibilities.
https://www.hackster.io/psmooij/pmsg-prototype-modular-smart-glasses-8bd4e6
https://github.com/Control-C/PMSG
For more info and rsvp: https://sensemakersams.org/events/
The workshop is from 19-21h in the Makerspace of the OBA and you can also just walk in!
OBA: Oosterdokskade 143, 1011DL Amsterdam
Cenex Webinar #2 - EV Chargers: How to know where to place them?

Join us for an exclusive webinar featuring three leading European cities sharing their proven strategies for EV charging infrastructure placement. Learn from real-world experiences and discover data-driven approaches that are transforming urban mobility across Europe.
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂'𝗹𝗹 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻
🏙️ 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀 - Discover how Brighton & Hove, Oslo, and Metropolitan Region of Amsterdam Electric have developed their EV charging strategies
📊 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮-𝗗𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 - Learn about the tools and methodologies these cities use to optimize charging point locations
🚗 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗹𝗹 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 - Understand how to address the needs of residents without private parking spaces
🌍 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗕𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 - Gain insights from three different countries and municipal perspectives
💡 𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗱 - Avoid common pitfalls and learn from real implementation experiences
𝗙𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀
Kieran Fitsall - Brighton & Hove Council
Sture Portvik & Sara Teige Kalsaas - City of Oslo
Annekee de Jager - MRA-e (Amsterdam Metropolitan Region)
Hosted by Sanne van Breukelen - Cenex Nederland
𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗔𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗱?
With Europe requiring 6.8 million public charging points by 2030, municipalities face unprecedented challenges in planning and implementing EV infrastructure. This webinar brings together three cities that have successfully navigated these challenges, offering practical insights for:
- Municipal planning departments
- Urban mobility professionals
- EV infrastructure developers
- Policy makers and city officials
- Transport consultants
𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗧𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱
- Historical approaches vs. modern data-driven strategies
- Stakeholder engagement
- Grid capacity considerations and smart charging integration
- On-street charging solutions for urban residents
𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗔𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗱
This webinar is essential for anyone involved in:
- Urban planning and development
- Sustainable transport initiatives
- EV infrastructure deployment
- Municipal policy development
- European mobility strategy
𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
Don't miss this opportunity to learn from Europe's leading cities in EV infrastructure planning. Register now to secure your spot and gain access to exclusive insights that could transform your city's approach to EV charging.
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This webinar is part of Cenex's ongoing commitment to accelerating the transition to sustainable transport through knowledge sharing and best practice dissemination across European cities.
Just saw this wonderful article on ReGen Village (below) , that demonstrates the Netherlands are leading the way! Extremely impressive packaging of the best planning. It reflects the transport disruption and also the plight of cities we've been discussing. Wish I were as close as you to see it all firsthand.
https://www.fastcompany.com/90207375/the-worlds-first-high-tech-eco-village-will-reinvent-suburbs
Robin it would certainly be the best solution for some cities and Amsterdam must be in the same condition as San Francisco, where costs have caused something of a crisis- it has become unlivable for the community that's sustained it for so long.
Two more thoughts about this; Seba says he did the numbers and when 80% of parking is unneeded (his projection), that will open enough space in Los Angeles to fit 3 San Franciscos. In LA I don't know if there's enough demand to lower the existing costs or not.
The concrete or asphalt could be left intact, but plumbing and sewage would have to be laid in. One crying need here is for accommodating tiny homes. The concept is compelling for students etc but there a real scarcity of plausible sites. Some cities are passing ordinances to allow back yard sites, but the water services still need addressing. We need dedicated parks or villages where the wide variety of tiny home designs would form a community, perhaps with a theme, like artist's colonies.
How about the seemably obvious one: housing? With the overheating of the housing market (not the only thing overheating, given our current heat strike in the Netherlands), and the fact that not enough is being (planned to be) newly built, this seems quite logical right? Or are there problems with that which I don't oversee?
There certainly are good environmental reasons for re-purposing parking lots. Stormwater runoff is dirty, and it's mitigation is an expensive component of development. It's concrete that causes "heat islands" raising city temperatures up to 10 degrees F. higher than surroundings, a fact that will have increasing importance henceforth. And although the damage is already done, the cement in concrete causes from 3-8% of all GHG. If you remove them, the chunks resulting from crushing, unfortunately, can only be recycled as the aggregate in more concrete.
So what do we do with them?
Arpad Hello,
Have to admit that since I started this thread I've lost hope for aquaponics as re-purposing for downtown parking structures- the floor space is just too valuable. But after reading about CEA, think it might be plausible for the vast real estate now devoted to parking in suburban areas. CEA operation also would be less costly to build than a facility housing extensive fish tanks.
If you had large paved areas available affordably, could translucent inflatable structures allow enough environmental control to serve for CEA purposes?
Hey Jackson,
We are developing urban real estate into vertical farms. Current research shows that aquaponics will not provide a stable business model yet, but CEA (controlled environment agriculture) is. Please contact me at OneFarm if you would like to discuss. Warmest, Arpad
Lotte thank you for the referrals. I think, rather than bother people with a conceptual issue, I should wait until more concrete proposals come to light. Seba has many followers and is himself updating his projections regularly. This forum seems a valuable space to test ideas and I appreciate your interest very much, Best to you.
@jacksoncoleman I am not an expert on this issue, but I would love to see more aquaponics systems in the city, and to see a better use of empty buildings. So I see a future there. However, I think you should talk to people who are involved in aquaponics in Amsterdam to find out their vision and plans! In A LAB there is a system, @arpadgerecsey0 knows more about it! And I think @timdebroekert might be a good person to talk to too.
Lotte I can't tell if my earlier response got through to you. Sorry if this is a duplication.
I'm just interested in any possible connection between a challenge thrown down by Tony Seba- that massive parking spaces may open up over the next 12 years- and the possible use of downtown parking buildings for hybrid hydroponic/aquaculture food production as described here:
https://inhabitat.com/can-vertical-farming-feed-the-world-and-change-the-agriculture-industry/
Problem: granted that released parking space is 90% open lots at shopping malls etc. So urban buildings will be few and expensive.
But the simplistic comparison of projections is- "Aquaponics should grow" and "Major real estate will become available". Could those two scenarios aid one another?
Thanks for your question.
@arpadgerecsey0 are you planning to expand the verticle farming project maybe?