Prologue to "Better Cities, Better Life" book that is going to be published in the following months. The Prologue Chapter is called "Urban Innovation: A Decalogue to Explore a City" (Igor Calzada)

1. Draft Beta version
BOOK:
BETTER CITIES, BETTER LIFE.
CHAPTER:
URBAN INNOVATION:
A DECALOGUE FOR EXPLORING A CITY.
Igor Calzada
CHAPTER:
URBAN INNOVATION: A DECALOGUE FOR EXPLORING A CITY.
Igor Calzada

2. Draft Beta version
0.- Abstract: Executive Summary.
1.- Global Cities vs. Second Division Cities.
2.- Urban Dynamics/Dynamism.
3.- 2.0 citizens.
4.- City as a network.
5.- Streetwise: Conquer the street.
6.-Diversity & Difference.
7.- Tradition vs. Modernity.
8.- Identity vs GloKalization.
9.- Movility.
10.- APPLY! Where?
CHAPTER:
URBAN INNOVATION: A DECALOGUE FOR EXPLORING A CITY.
Igor Calzada

3. Draft Beta version
0.- Abstract: Executive Summary.
Cities are at forefront of any economical, environmental, social and cultural dilemma and
discussion. Cities are the unit of understanding and intervention of our societies. Cities are not
just an urban phenomenon. Cities are human complexity’s representation. Thus we need to
explore a city as our unit of analysis and we need to carry out and design intervention projects
in any issue of the urban innovation. At the end of the day everything boils down to a city that
combined and built systemically by 4 different approaches or strategic axis of a City:
· Spontaneously CREATIVE
· Effectively CONNECTED
· Strongly PARTICIPATIVE
· Really SUSTAINABLE
When we are talking about new paths and ideas around Cities, we could summarize all these
ideas in these 4 different approaches and strategic axis. This new discipline which combines
ideas from architecture, design, arts, engineering, urbanism, biology, anthropology, marketing,
sociology, economics, technology, political sciences, social issues,…mixing them and trying to
contribute with new solutions to old problems as Jane Jacobs said (“new ideas require old
buildings”) is in my opinion what we might call as Urban Innovation. Urban Innovation as a
new discipline that require new observation, new observers, way of thinking and feeling, as
does our unit of analysis and intervention: the City.
Thus, Urban Innovation should start with a set way to Explore a City. In the following brief
Decalogue we introduce the ten most basic key-ideas in order to start building the Urban
Innovation discourse based on practice, from a real, a critical perspective after Exploring many
Cities:
CHAPTER:
URBAN INNOVATION: A DECALOGUE FOR EXPLORING A CITY.
Igor Calzada

4. Draft Beta version
1.- Global Cities vs. Second Division Cities.
The first question: What do we mean when we say City? Are all cities included in this category?
Maybe here is the first dilemma. Let’s explain this:
Cities and territorial development literature over the last 40 years has been focused on the
urban phenomenon, with the main contribution of Manuel Castells. However, the globalization
process increased the opportunity to understand and consider just “big” cities, cities. Saskia
Sassen being the main author introducing this approach to the discipline.
The point is that nowadays, hopefully, the world is not flat as Friedman proposed and maybe is
closer to Florida’s approach of “spike” world, compounded by “different” cities with different
idiosyncrasies.
This is why from the beginning I will partially be in favour of the new “league” of cities. Those
that we could call “Second Division Cities”. Medium scale, really postindustrial ones, with an
strong sense of rebuilding, remaking and creating from the tradition a new authentic city
personality. Moreover, these cities have another aspect which make them unique. In contrast
to the infrastructural city, this postindustrial cities are really well designed as City-Regions.
What we think that could be really the future of the Cities and Urban Innovation.
2.- Urban Dynamics/Dynamism.
The first thing that we are going to feel in a city and we should observe is how dynamic it is.
We will observe human movements around the city, social habits and spaces usages, collective
energic events, specific geographic locations, local communities or neighbourhoods’ natural
initiatives.
3.- 2.0 citizens.
The second key element is how connected citizens are virtually speaking. We assume that
virtual connectivity could increase the opportunity for real social connectivity, but that is not a
cause-effect relationship. However, connected public spaces, social technological habits,
proactive social groups or natural communities and social needs that can be assisted by 2.0
technologies (social networks, mainly), are the different aspects that a city could make the
best of. To sum up, the aim of encouraging 2.0 citizens is the assumption that digital
connectivity will help the city and its citizens to be more proactive, autonomous, interactive,
participative and collaborative.
4.- City as a network.
As a result we are facing the city as a “real” person to person network. We could think in both
levels:
4.1.- Space & geographical conditions:
CHAPTER:
URBAN INNOVATION: A DECALOGUE FOR EXPLORING A CITY.
Igor Calzada

5. Draft Beta version
We could analyze different factors: Neighbourhoods, linkages, transport hubs and mobility
patterns.
4.2.- Virtual & digital conditions.
We could do the same checking the following: Local wifi, access rate, connected per capita,
usage rate of the net.
5.- Streetwise: Conquer the street.
Related to 2.- Urban Dynamics, we need to know what is the “real” usage of the streets. What
is the main purpose of urban planning in this city? Which is the ranking of users in the streets?
Bikers, pedestrians, elderly people, kids,….cars…
After this, we could begin to arrange sort the city functionalities: Commercial or shopping,
leisure, economic/entrepreneurial activities, cultural events, leisure areas,…We know that
industrial cities have separated the city functions. Now we need to mix them again, in a
balanced and sustainable combination.
6.-Diversity & Difference.
If we are to encourage urban and city policies that could create a vibrant atmosphere, we
should focus the attention on heterogeneity, self-expressionism and freedom of opinion.
These three aspects are the key elements that contribute to a cultural diversity’s social
integration.
7.- Tradition vs. Modernity.
In the global scope, uniqueness is the key element. Our city should be authentic, unique. Thus
traditional authentic values and rules can contribute to this aim. The point is that traditions
should be shown as inclusive and not exclusive. Here the open minded attitude is really
important, in terms of mixing the “old and real” value of traditions with a willingness to
experiment, combine and create identity. We know this aspect is not easy. What might a
traditional, real and authentic city, with its own personality (language, traditions, habits,…) be
like and at the same time, be open and encourage remix culture? Hard but not impossible.
8.- Identity vs GloKalization.
Therefore, here we have to the nitty gritty. Our cities should keep their own identity but at the
same time be really open in the global play-ground. There are two aspects:
8.1.- Conserve and take care the local identity.
8.2.- Build social global networks with cities and persons with common interest.
CHAPTER:
URBAN INNOVATION: A DECALOGUE FOR EXPLORING A CITY.
Igor Calzada

6. Draft Beta version
9.- Movility.
We should design cities to a human-scale. People should be the city. We ought not to care
about the maps and concrete. We should start designing from the smallest scale, asking people
in their neighbourhoods about their own linking with their area. In this sense, “train & bike
combination friendly cities” are becoming more and more commonly regarded as the future
city model. This future city model should readapt the non-sustainable infrastructural city
model. As a result of the recent economic crisis, the lack of sustainable city model over the last
20 years requires immediate effective and imaginative solutions to “shrink” our cities.
10.- APPLY! Where?
Now we should start thinking where to intervene after exploration and observation. Another
Decalogue that lists work-fields in a City might be:
10.1.- Biking.
10.2.- Transport.
10.3.- Associationism.
10.4.- Connectivity.
10.5.- Public Spaces.
10.6.- Physical Environment.
10.7.- Social Dynamics.
10.8.- Demographics.
10.9.- Human Creativity.
10.10.- Green.
*Note:
I would like to thank to the whole Team 15th from Kaos Pilot Social Innovation and Business
Design School. This chapter wouldn’t be possible without sharing with them thoughts and
previous ideas. Go ahead Team 15th (Let’s keep on exploring cities, forever).
Igor Calzada.
June 2010, Donostia-St.Sebastian (Basque Country)(Spain).
CHAPTER:
URBAN INNOVATION: A DECALOGUE FOR EXPLORING A CITY.
Igor Calzada