Skyline's Underbelly Unveiled

In the heart of Boston, the Center for Advanced Urbanism (CAU) at MIT hosted the "Scaling Infrastructure" conference, bringing together a diverse group of experts to discuss the future of urban infrastructure.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel of Chicago emphasized the importance of natural resource issues, particularly water, and access to water, which he believes will be a major global debate in the next 20 to 25 years. He also highlighted the need for a robust infrastructure in Chicago to support economic growth across sectors and to maintain its status as "the inland port of America." Emanuel suggested adding showers in office buildings to complement bike lanes, encouraging more professionals to use bike paths for commuting.

Alexander D'Hooghe, CAU's director, noted that planners are considering infrastructure that is smaller, mutually independent, and reinforcing. This shift towards smaller, adaptable networks is in response to climate-driven problems that can cripple large-scale, centralized networks.

Alan Berger, a professor at MIT, suggested that research might provide innovations for flexible, adaptable, and scalable infrastructure, particularly in energy and transportation. Maria Zuber, MIT's vice president for research, emphasized the need for clear thinking and practical sensibilities in addressing urban infrastructure challenges.

Jeff Dean, a computer scientist known for his research in scalable and distributed systems, was also a participant in the conference.

Nancy Levinson, editor of Places Journal, criticized the dismissal of the federal role in local growth, allowing low expectations to let Washington off the hook for a lack of support for urban projects. She urged considering the civic and social values, and interests, that infrastructure technologies are meant to serve at any point in history, as highlighted by James Westcoat, a historian of water systems in MIT's School of Architecture and Planning.

Looking beyond urban areas, Ken Laberteaux, a senior principal scientist at the Toyota Research Institute-North America, discussed the future of traffic infrastructure. He suggested that Generation Y might eventually increase their driving as they settle down and move to suburban settings. He also highlighted more fuel-efficient vehicles and relatively dense, energy-efficient neighborhoods as necessary for sustainable, low-density, nonurban lifestyles.

Meanwhile, cities like Flint, Michigan, are grappling with their own infrastructure challenges. Downsized due to closed auto plants, Flint is dismantling unused buildings to become "more green and dense," with parkland replacing old industrial areas and a larger population living near civic assets. However, money for new investments remains scarce, according to Mayor Dayne Walling.

As cities prepare for global changes, including climate shocks, population growth, and decline as industries relocate, it is clear that the future of urban infrastructure will be a critical discussion point. The insights shared at the "Scaling Infrastructure" conference at MIT provide a valuable starting point for this conversation.

Skyline's Underbelly Unveiled