The Urban Future is Now: Shifting Perspectives On The Future Of Smart Living

As smart urbanism evolves, smart living is increasingly shaping everyday life—promising efficiency, security, and energy savings while also influencing social interactions, social and family dynamics, personal agency, as well as the overall well-being of an individual. However, current smart city designs and smart living models often neglect critical ethical and societal concerns, such as inclusivity, accessibility, and the diverse needs of residents. Without addressing these, "smart" risks becoming exclusionary rather than empowering and facing the broader public's resistance to its adoption over time. This workshop aims at uniting researchers and practitioners of Urban Informatics, Smart Urbanism, Human-Computer Interaction, Sociology and Psychology to explore how smart living can foster social well-being and how we can address design challenges sustainably rather than merely optimise smart technology.