Cities of the 21st Century from now on should be designed as Smart Cities
Cyprus International University (CIU) Faculty of Fine Arts, Design and Architecture (FADA) Vice Dean Assoc Prof. Dr. Cemil Atakara stated that with the publication of the Iskele zoning plan, the opportunity to create the first smart city of Cyprus has been lost.
Advising that at the end of the 19th century, cities began to change due to economic, social, and political factors, Atakara, went on to say “Cities that are in receipt of excessive immigration and have unplanned development, experience quite serious problems in terms of infrastructure, superstructure, communication, transportation, education, and health”.
Stating that with the correct planning and following approaches on the basis of technology and innovation, solutions can be found for existing problems, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Atakara continued, "However, with the most accurate method designed from the outset, is the assurance that such problems won’t ever occur”.
Atakara explained that the cities of the 21st century should be designed as ‘Smart Cities’, and went on to state, “Rudolf Giffinger defined the concept of a Smart City as; the use of information and communication technologies together with the participation of the public in regional competition, transportation, economy, resource use, human and social capital, and quality of life management.”
Adding that the building blocks of a smart city are created by smart people, smart management, smart health, smart buildings, smart transportation, smart infrastructure, smart energy and smart technologies, Atakara stated, “Cities which are created with these criteria’s are self-sufficient due to calculating and producing solutions to meet the agricultural resource, energy, and water needs, and by establishing an easy transportation network with their own boundaries, the services of government offices, health, and education can be benefited from in the most easiest and effortless way”.
Noting that in Northern Cyprus, the above-mentioned local service elements grow in an unplanned and disorganized manner, Atakara informed, "Within the context of the conditions supported by development plans, this growth is being carried out in an unhealthy manner”.
Emphasizing that for smart cities, safety and security is another important point, Atakara continued, "When it comes to ensuring public safety, this criterion makes taking measures against natural disasters mandatory”.
Reminding that the main goals should be the creation of sustainable, innovative cities, providing areas for agriculture for the future generations, without leaving an environment that is full of waste, meeting the need for clean water together with having easy transportation, clean sea, and clean air, Atakara concluded, “It is important that the development plans in the country are based on these values”.