Urban Machines

the long version

At the beginning of the 21st century digital technology disrupted city life. The use of ICTs (information and communication technologies) has radically changed the way we inhabit and operate in the urban space. Over the last few decades an increasingly collaborative and interdisciplinary work developed by architects, artists, urban and media designers has defined a particular landscape of projects that engage information technology as a catalytic tool for expanding, augmenting and altering public and social interactions in the urban space. Through essays, case studies and conversations, this book aims to present a critical historic overview of the impact of information technologies on the physical public space while providing an inspiring vision of possible future scenarios for the public realm in a digital culture.