What is a people-centred smart city?

A smart city is often sold as a collection of sensors, dashboards and efficiency metrics. A people-centred smart city starts from a different question: How does this technology improve the everyday experience of the people who live here?

The shift in mindset

Traditional “smart city” projects frequently prioritise data collection and control systems. People-centred approaches reverse the order: first understand public life, then decide which technologies (if any) can support it.

• Start with observation of how people actually use streets, squares and parks.
• Measure quality of stay, not only movement or traffic flow.
• Design for invitation, protection and comfort (Gehl’s framework).
• Treat technology as a servant of human experience, never the master.

Why this matters in Mongolia

Ulaanbaatar and other Mongolian cities face rapid urbanisation, harsh climate, and strong cultural traditions of communal space. Importing generic smart-city solutions without understanding local public life often creates expensive systems that people ignore or actively avoid.

In the next lessons we will look at concrete tools — Gehl’s three qualities of public space and the Public Space Public Life method — that you can start using immediately.