Courtesy VENTI
KPF’s smart city in South Korea combines sustainable design and advanced technology to serve as a model for future urban centers worldwide.
In a list of the top 10 newly built cities of the past century, ArchEyes ranks KPF’s Songdo Smart City alongside the likes of Le Corbusier’s Chandigarh and Oscar Niemeyer’s Brasília. Drawing on examples of realized urban-scale developments from around the world, the piece explores how these ground-up cities respond to large-scale challenges such as climate change, technological interconnection, rapid urbanization, economic growth, and the formation of new national identities.
Songdo, which KPF designed to be a pedestrian-friendly city, with walkable streets, 40 percent green space and an urban density that promotes an active street life, is also a highly connected smart city where every aspect of urban life is connected through data. A central control system manages traffic and monitors energy use, while residents enjoy high-speed internet access from every corner of the city. The city features a comprehensive pneumatic waste disposal system, water recycling system, and advanced energy efficiency measures. “Songdo is a pioneering model of how cities can adapt to the digital age, prioritize environmental sustainability, and improve residents’ lives,” writes ArchEyes.
Read the full article here.