Intelligent pedestrian environment. Lessons from Parisian experience

Abstract

Purpose - The purpose of the paper is in research of possibilities of everyday (pedestrian) environment to contribute in creating an ambience that can be characterized as an intelligent environment. Specifically, the aim is in detailed presentation of relation between the first and third dimensions of intelligent city, i.e. human and artificial intelligence. Design/methodology/approach - We propose an original scientific approach which examines elements of the pedestrian environment in detail on the spatial-analytic level. These elements are also redundant artefacts of pedestrian space (Portugali, 2011), which include street furniture, objects, urban scenes and street grid. For the purpose of this research elements of street furniture will be analyzed which include pavements, benches, streets' lights, telephone booths, bus stops, underground / metro / S-band / Subway, signs, trees and also moving elements such as buses, trams, trains, etc. A polygon in which the research was done involves a network of pedestrian spaces in the centre of Paris, designs and realizations that present outcomes of competition called Mobilier Urbain intelligent. Originality/value - The research emphasizes the importance of urban furniture in generating distinctive physical identity of the city and improvement the lifestyle quality of its residents. In addition, the contemporary approach in designing and improving urban furniture (presented in paper) highlights the potential for redundant artefacts to contribute in creating an intelligent city. Practical implications - By applying approach from detail to the whole in urban design, emphasis is placed on the elements of the physical environment in the city where open space' users make direct contacts. Moreover, their improvement and use of modern technologies encourages more intensive interaction among people. In this domain, special benefits can have smaller cities that mostly use approach from details to the whole in improving the quality of their open spaces.