Towards a Smart(er) Washington DC

Background/Context

The promise of better opportunities and a better quality of life, among many other factors, attracts people towards urban centers—cities. As a result, the future cities are facing unimaginable growth and expansion, according to the UN 55% of the global population lives in cities, and by 2050 this number is projected to climb to 68%1. The comparable numbers are even higher for the United States, with 83% of its current population living in cities and a projected 89% by 20502. With the continuous growth of cities, new and complex urban issues are also arising. Increasing poverty and environmental degradation within the cities.

Parallel to urban growth that’s occurring, society is also making significant advances in technology. The smart city is a concept of utilizing digital technologies to improve and enhance the lives of a city's inhabitants. However, smart city projects so far in most cities have been limited to transportation, energy management, and city infrastructure services. Noticeably absent from the smart city approach are many of the social and environmental challenges that many cities face. This competition seeks to explore ideas on how smart city strategies can be utilized to address key issues that cities are facing today.

Location
Washington DC is one of the United States' pioneering cities when it comes to growing as a Smart City. The complexities that this city brings upon itself stem from its historical and political relevance. However, to keep up with the fast-paced nature of today's global economic situations, technological interventions, and demand for better city life, DC is growing rapidly.

With an influx of real estate development and the push for a smarter, more accessible city, the need to consider the importance of urban design during this growth process is significant.

References
1 - “World Urbanization Prospects - Population Division - United Nations.” Population Division |,
https://population.un.org/wup/. Accessed 22 January 2023.
2 - “U.S. Cities Factsheet | Center for Sustainable Systems.” Center for Sustainable Systems,
https://css.umich.edu/publications/factsheets/built-environment/us-citi…. Accessed 22
January 2023.
3 - “AHAR Reports | HUD USER.” HUD User,
https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/ahar.html. Accessed 22 January 2023.

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