Last week, networking infrastructure company Cisco announced that the Orlando community of Lake Nona will be the site of the first of the company's nine planned "Smart+Connected" cities, which will endeavor to "unify urban development and IT."
In the shadow of Disney World's Tomorrowland attraction, which exhibits visions of a "future that never was," Cisco and Bahamas-based private investment firm Tavistock Group, will build their own vision for the integrated city of the future over the next fifteen years.
As Tim Conneally explains, "the Smart+Connected initiative
is Cisco's experiment with building the communications infrastructure
that connects all aspects of a community, from government to health care
to education to enterprise to home and beyond. More than simply a
communications ecosystem, the initiative is squarely focused on
preparing for the nascent "Internet of things" era."
"This means the project will touch on all of the community-focused
communications we've seen developing independently over the last decade:
wireless voice and data communications, fiber to the home networks,
digital signage, IP video surveillance, 'smart grid' energy management,
and more than 20 other 'smart services' across the entire Lake Nona
community."
FULL STORY: Cisco's Lake Nona experiment: A marriage of urban planning and IT
Central Florida’s SunRail Plans Major Expansion
The expanded train line will connect more destinations to the international airport and other important destinations.
Orlando Approves New Nightclub Rules
The city ended a temporary moratorium on new nightclubs, replacing it with a rule limiting them to roughly one per every city block.
Orlando Pledges to Improve Walkability
A city report highlights successes and failures in building safer transportation infrastructure and reducing VMT in 2023.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
Montreal’s Gorilla Park Repurposes Defunct Railway Track
The park is part of a global movement to build public spaces that connect neighbors and work with local elements to serve as key parts of a city’s green infrastructure.
Art in Action: USC Event Calls for an Urgent Green Energy Transition
The El Respiro / Respire event at USC uses a large-scale human geochoreography to demand an urgent and equitable transition to green energy, blending art, activism, and community engagement to amplify the message of climate justice.
Safe Parking Programs Help People Access Housing
The safety and stability offered by Safe Parking sites have helped 40 percent of unhoused San Diego residents who accessed these programs get into permanent housing.
Study: Single-Staircase Buildings Pose No Additional Risks
Zoning codes have long prohibited single-stair residential buildings due to safety concerns, but changing that could lower the cost of construction and allow for more flexible housing designs.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA)
Economic & Planning Systems, Inc.
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research