Institute For The Future

Remaking Systems – Seeing Maker Cities First Hand

In 2014, IFTF’s Technology Horizons program is taking clients on a journey to cities around the world to get immersed in global maker culture. Cities have always captured our imaginations; they are the nexus where people, ideas and future possibilities come together.

What happens when makers spill out of makerspaces and onto the city streets?

The DIY ethos of making isn’t limited to creating physical objects—stuff. Makers are starting to reimagine the systems that surround them. They are bringing the “maker mindset” to the complex urban challenges of health, education, food, and even citizenship. Makers will create the future of their cities. We continue our research in three cities—Mexico City, Shenzhen and New York City—where leading-edge local makers will lead us in hands-on intimate field excursions and in-depth discussions to understand the present and future of the region’s capacity for innovation.

How will we live, work, and govern in a maker world?

Every city has makers. Today’s maker cities are defining new forms of collaboration and knowledge creation, providing new platforms to remix existing tools, and pioneering new ways to live in an increasingly connected world. We will take a look at how makers shape the evolution of technology and create the future of cities by building services and infrastructure.

Join the conversation!

Follow us on Twitter @IFTF and Facebook to be a part of the maker cities conversation. 

Want to learn more?

Read more about what adventures each city holds for us on the Maker Cities Immersions event page.

To learn more about Maker Cities and our Technology Horizons program, please contact Sean Ness at 650-233-9517 or [email protected].