I went to a panel discussion last night about the future of cities. Rather disappointing. The discussion was largely about things that don’t work terribly well (broadband speeds), pinch points and how technology might help.

Generally it was about how things can be made to work or flow faster, but to what end? If the answer is faster, what is the question?  Where was the discussion about what cities are actually for or could be for in the future? Only when we’ve answered this, surely, can we have a discussion about how technology can support this. Technology is always a means, it’s never an end.