Spaces of innovation : 21st century technopoles

Thesis (M.C.P.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning, 2004. === Page 129 blank. === Includes bibliographical references (p. 121-128). === Public authorities and private developers around the world are attempting to create and sustain hubs within the innovation-...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Seitinger, Susanne, 1978-
Other Authors: Dennis Frenchman.
Format: Others
Language:English
Published: Massachusetts Institute of Technology 2005
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/17707
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topic Urban Studies and Planning.
spellingShingle Urban Studies and Planning.
Seitinger, Susanne, 1978-
Spaces of innovation : 21st century technopoles
description Thesis (M.C.P.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning, 2004. === Page 129 blank. === Includes bibliographical references (p. 121-128). === Public authorities and private developers around the world are attempting to create and sustain hubs within the innovation-based economy by fostering successful urban environments. These large-scale developments succeed an earlier generation of post-industrial "technopoles" named after the French word popularized by Castells and Hall in Technopoles of the World (1994). In the 1990s, most planned technopoles resembled suburban office environments with generous landscaping, wide roads, and automobile-focused circulation systems. In contrast, today's economic development experts are increasingly emphasizing the need for interaction and cross-fertilization among companies and institutions in an attempt to foster innovation, from which successful communities are assumed to derive their competitive edge in an information- based economy. Parallel shifts in live-work patterns among creative talent groups are being documented in social science and anecdotal observations. These trends have heightened competition for qualified individuals and initiated a talent war among cities globally. And these individuals are living footloose lifestyles supported by mobile devices and wireless connectivity. Entrepreneurial public agencies and private developers have recognized the potential for reconceiving live-work environments as economic hubs. These holistic projects are identified as 21st century technopoles because they directly address and capitalize on the socio-economic shifts described above leading to vastly different ideal urban configurations. The thesis asks how urban form is expected to contribute to innovation; and, how urban form is being reconceptualized in turn at the neighborhood scale. === (cont.) Four case studies provide a rich narrative that begins to sketch the range of proposed urban developments: Cyberjaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Digital Media City, Seoul, Korea; one-north, Singapore; Lower Manhattan, New York. A narrative ties the four cases together providing "thick descriptions" as a base-line study for a new mode of technopole development. The analysis reaches from (1) "hardware" or the urban built environment and (2) "wiring" or the embedded and supported technologies to (3) "software" or the actors involved. The case studies indicate several emergent themes that are rescripting our urban environments. Dense urban zones with a high level of sensory diversity are being proposed for emerging technopoles that capitalize on the city as a metaphor for human interaction and exchange. Real estate value in this system is measured by the number of serendipitous encounters it facilitates. The dichotomous relationship between spaces of places and spaces of flows set forth by Castells seems inapplicable within the boundaries of these zones that are at once core and periphery, local and global. Finally, these developments are living laboratories for the technologies that support new live-work preferences and shifting lifestyles. Several contradictions become apparent in delving more deeply into the examples, which are still under development. In the promotional materials, diversity - demographic and physical - is embraced, but it is not clear how it will contribute to innovation. More generally, the projects plan for often unpredictable "knowledge accidents." ... === by Susanne Seitinger. === M.C.P.
author2 Dennis Frenchman.
author_facet Dennis Frenchman.
Seitinger, Susanne, 1978-
author Seitinger, Susanne, 1978-
author_sort Seitinger, Susanne, 1978-
title Spaces of innovation : 21st century technopoles
title_short Spaces of innovation : 21st century technopoles
title_full Spaces of innovation : 21st century technopoles
title_fullStr Spaces of innovation : 21st century technopoles
title_full_unstemmed Spaces of innovation : 21st century technopoles
title_sort spaces of innovation : 21st century technopoles
publisher Massachusetts Institute of Technology
publishDate 2005
url http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/17707
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spelling ndltd-MIT-oai-dspace.mit.edu-1721.1-177072019-05-02T16:36:35Z Spaces of innovation : 21st century technopoles Seitinger, Susanne, 1978- Dennis Frenchman. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning. Urban Studies and Planning. Thesis (M.C.P.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning, 2004. Page 129 blank. Includes bibliographical references (p. 121-128). Public authorities and private developers around the world are attempting to create and sustain hubs within the innovation-based economy by fostering successful urban environments. These large-scale developments succeed an earlier generation of post-industrial "technopoles" named after the French word popularized by Castells and Hall in Technopoles of the World (1994). In the 1990s, most planned technopoles resembled suburban office environments with generous landscaping, wide roads, and automobile-focused circulation systems. In contrast, today's economic development experts are increasingly emphasizing the need for interaction and cross-fertilization among companies and institutions in an attempt to foster innovation, from which successful communities are assumed to derive their competitive edge in an information- based economy. Parallel shifts in live-work patterns among creative talent groups are being documented in social science and anecdotal observations. These trends have heightened competition for qualified individuals and initiated a talent war among cities globally. And these individuals are living footloose lifestyles supported by mobile devices and wireless connectivity. Entrepreneurial public agencies and private developers have recognized the potential for reconceiving live-work environments as economic hubs. These holistic projects are identified as 21st century technopoles because they directly address and capitalize on the socio-economic shifts described above leading to vastly different ideal urban configurations. The thesis asks how urban form is expected to contribute to innovation; and, how urban form is being reconceptualized in turn at the neighborhood scale. (cont.) Four case studies provide a rich narrative that begins to sketch the range of proposed urban developments: Cyberjaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Digital Media City, Seoul, Korea; one-north, Singapore; Lower Manhattan, New York. A narrative ties the four cases together providing "thick descriptions" as a base-line study for a new mode of technopole development. The analysis reaches from (1) "hardware" or the urban built environment and (2) "wiring" or the embedded and supported technologies to (3) "software" or the actors involved. The case studies indicate several emergent themes that are rescripting our urban environments. Dense urban zones with a high level of sensory diversity are being proposed for emerging technopoles that capitalize on the city as a metaphor for human interaction and exchange. Real estate value in this system is measured by the number of serendipitous encounters it facilitates. The dichotomous relationship between spaces of places and spaces of flows set forth by Castells seems inapplicable within the boundaries of these zones that are at once core and periphery, local and global. Finally, these developments are living laboratories for the technologies that support new live-work preferences and shifting lifestyles. Several contradictions become apparent in delving more deeply into the examples, which are still under development. In the promotional materials, diversity - demographic and physical - is embraced, but it is not clear how it will contribute to innovation. More generally, the projects plan for often unpredictable "knowledge accidents." ... by Susanne Seitinger. M.C.P. 2005-06-02T18:20:08Z 2005-06-02T18:20:08Z 2004 2004 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/17707 56416968 eng M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission. http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582 129 p. 6989919 bytes 6989727 bytes application/pdf application/pdf application/pdf Massachusetts Institute of Technology