“Smart Growth” Soon to be in the Grave? Intelligent Cities the New Term

You’ve probably heard of “smart growth” by now. But to urban planners, that seems to mean it’s time for something new. While the goals of smart growth continue to be embraced, we are seeing a shift from that term to “intelligent cities” Haya El Nasser of USA Today notes. Of course, there are some substantive reasons behind the shift as well.

When the economy was roaring and housing booming, reining in suburban sprawl dominated the development debate under the name of “smart growth.”

Now that the economy and housing have tanked, prompting more people to stay put, growth is taking a back seat. But smarts still matter. The new buzzwords: “intelligent cities.”

“There’s a 15- to 20-year cycle on urban planning terms,” says Robert Lang, urban sociologist at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas. “Remember ‘urban renewal’? Smart growth is near the end of its shelf life.”

In addition to the above, there is much more of an emphasis on cities these days and a renewed love for cities. More people live in cities than ever before. And more will live in them tomorrow than today. And we are focusing more on their benefits than their problems compared to the past, I would say.

For more on this interesting shift, check out: Will ‘intelligent cities’ put an end to suburban sprawl?

Photo Credit: Vectorportal