On July 23 the exhibition Tomorrow’s Cities Today: the power of urban visions was opened at IZOLYATSIA (curators: Professor Nick Dunn, University of Lancaster, Dr. Paul Cureton, University of Hertfordshire and Nick Francis, Space Syntax).

Today we are faced with an increasingly urbanised world with 54 percent of the global population now living in developed areas. By 2050 projections indicate continued urbanisation and population growth will add another 2.5 billion people to our city conurbations. Cities throughout the world are planning and shaping up to this eventuality. As we progress into the 21st century, the pressure exerted on existing infrastructure systems, housing density, energy needs, space and socio-economic provision will pose a significant challenge to our urban populations.

Also at this day Nick Dunn (Lancaster University, UK) and Nick Francis (Space Syntax, UK) made a lectures.

Nick Dunn spoke about Intelligent Landscapes: Technological Drivers, Future Cities and the Art of Being Smart, Nick Francis described UK Perspective of Future of Cities.

Imagining the city of the future has long been an inspiration for many architects, artists, and designers. Through various types of media, urban futures have been depicted in many ways – from tranquil green utopias and great domed constructions to vast, interconnected mega-structures and machines. More recently there has been considerable attention given to Smart Cities and how they may transform urban life. This talk will therefore examine the power of information, Big Data and Smart Cities as technological drivers for change. Cities, once perceived as a problem, are now recognised as the key context for many countries’ social, cultural and economic life, whilst also being home to the majority of the global population. In addition, this talk will also explore what some of the emerging technologies and lifestyles may mean for our cities and us.