If you’re in the Bay Area, BB pal Eric Paulos is organizing a free public conference August 7-8 to discuss the future of urban life. The event is part of the huge International Symposium of Electronic Arts taking place in San Jose next week. Speakers at the Interactive City Summit include the likes of Matt “Blackbelt” Jones, Trokia, Rebar, and Erik Davis. From the event info page:
I would sum up my fear about the future in one word: boring. And that’s my one fear: that everything has happened; nothing exciting or new or interesting is ever going to happen again… the future is just going to be a vast, conforming suburb of the soul. –J. G. Ballard
As our megalopolis expands, fragments, and warps, we look towards governments, industry, world leaders, and pop stars to guide the way. The party rhetoric echoes a future vision filled with beautiful, delicious urban technologies that will sooth the souls of our communities, generate playful neo-geo-landscapes, and celebrate our omni-connected harmony? But what do we truly aspire, desire, and admire? Emerge from the labs, galleries, homes, offices, and suburbs. Break free and engage in the first open forum Interactive City Summit.