21 May: Debate Smart Cities or Dumb Cities with Do Janne

During Arcam’s ‘Architecture Residency’ of Do Janne
Vermeulen a debate will be organized about smart cities on Tuesday, the 21st of
May. The developments of data in Amsterdam will be discussed, as the progresses
in Toronto and the position of the architect. Through this debate, the
discussion will be seen from a design perspective.

What’s the question?
Architect in Residence Do Janne Vermeulen visited Canada and is bringing the
debate to the Netherlands. While reading, watching, writing and talking about
smart cities, it is tempting to think in terms of technology instead of the
city. Rather than “what do we want and how does smart technology offer a solution
for that?” it is about “what possibilities does smart technology offer and what
can we achieve with it?”

Privacy issues make the conversation even more difficult and sometimes make us long for the ‘stupid city’. But our spatial domain and the digital world are becoming more and more interconnected. Can we grow, densify and become more sustainable without smart systems? Is technology indeed the answer to our questions? What is exactly the problem with ‘stupid cities’? What are the benefits if we focus on digital technologies, analyse large amounts of data and provide the city with systems and IoT (Internet of Things) sensors? And what other means do we have? In short, a lot of questions to which smart technology might be the right answer. And maybe not.

Programme and speakers

Do Janne Vermeulen – Team V – Co-founder and architect
The second ‘Architect in Residence’ at Arcam. She gives a short pitch about the role of big data in her field of expertise.

Marleen Stikker – Waag – Founder
Marleen Stikker supervises the digitisation of society with research and all kinds of initiatives from Waag. This evening she will share her views on the developments concerning Big Data. She also offers perspective on the role of the architect within smart cities.

Ger Baron – City of Amsterdam – Chief Technology Officer (CTO)
Ger Baron, the first CTO of Amsterdam, brings us up to speed on technological innovation and the digital transformation of Amsterdam.

Emil Zelic – Waterfront Toronto – Executive Director Project Management Office & IT
As an IT professional, Emil Zelic, who will fly in from Toronto, tells about where application and disruption of smart technologies meets design practices. He reflects on the progress and philosophises about the Smart City applicability in Amsterdam.

The lectures are followed by
a debate between the audience and the speakers.

Smart Cities or Dumb Cities
Architect in Residence Debate: Do Janne Vermeulen, Team V
Date: Tuesday 21 May 2019
Time: Starts at 8PM / Door open at 7.45PM
Location: OBA Oosterdok, Oosterdokskade 143
Language: ENGLISH
Tickets: € 12,50
Online tickets available at our ticket page