The research project “Designing for Controversies in Responsible Smart Cities” aims to explore how controversies around the smart city can be made visible and debatable, as a way to garner broader engagement, agency and support. The project takes place in the mid-sized and centrally located municipality of Amersfoort, which is building a new Internet of Things infrastructure. A consortium of public and private partners will develop a government+citizen+academic+industry collaboration (a so-called ’quadruple helix’) that allows a wide range of stakeholders to become involved in shaping their urban future. In a series of co-design sessions a number of ethical, juridical, and social controversies are made visible and debatable, as a way to garner broader engagement, agency and support.

Consortium partners include The Municipality of Amersfoort, Marxman Advocaten, Aerovision, Kennislab voor Urbanisme, and the Design Innovation Groep.

The project is funded through a NWO grant, as part of the program Smart Culture – Creative Cities. Project lead: Mascha van der Voort. Co-leads: Peter-Paul Verbeek & Michiel de Lange.

Short info about the project: https://www.nwo.nl/en/news-and-events/news/2018/01/four-new-research-projects-into-transformations-of-cities-and-urbanity-in-relation-to-the-creative-industry.html

More info in Dutch: https://www.uu.nl/nieuws/nwo-beurs-voor-onderzoek-naar-de-slimme-stad