In an increasingly inter-connected and technological world, we need models for urban living that take full advantage of technology while increasing the participation of residents in developing new opportunities for a better life. A Smarter City responds to this challenge in ways that enhance not just the physical infrastructure of a city, but also the intellectual and social capital of its residents.  It fosters the collective intelligence of citizens in a manner that is inclusive and oriented towards innovative problem solving.

The Biopolis Program is a transnational effort that links Boston/Cambridge with Paris, using the principles of biology to innovate new models for engaging citizens and meeting the urban challenges of their living city.  Since 2015, teams of university students from Harvard, SciencesPo and the Center for Research and Interdisciplinarity have spent summers using Paris as a laboratory to develop new ideas for improving urban living.  Proposals are co-developed with citizens and local government and represent collective expressions of new ways to create a Smarter City and address key goals for sustainable development.  Biopolis teams will share their proposals with accompanying short films as the basis for a collective brainstorm with participants on potential implementations in Boston and Paris.

Who it’s for: students, tech professionals, urban planning professionals, families
Vibe: educational, thought-provoking, forward-thinking