Wise Cities vs. Smart Cities
Centering Indigenous Wisdom to Responsibly Build for Future Generations
In the race to implement "smart city" technologies, many urban developments have been driven by short-term gains, AI conveniences, and relentless data collection. We see cities that are increasingly dependent on technology that often prioritizes efficiency over community, convenience over connection, and data over the wisdom that has sustained civilizations for thousands of years.
For example, "smart cities" often focus on:
Surveillance Over Privacy: Technologies that promise safety but erode personal freedoms.
Automated Solutions: AI-driven systems that overlook the nuances of human experience and the importance of community engagement.
Short-term Gains: Infrastructure that prioritizes immediate returns without considering long-term environmental impacts or social equity.
But what if we reimagined our cities by drawing from ancient wisdom and Indigenous principles that honor the interconnectedness of all life and consider the impacts of our decisions on the next seven generations? What if we shifted from a paradigm of control to one of interdependence, autonomy, self-sovereignty, and shared responsibility?
Today's urban planners and city leaders have a profound opportunity to move beyond the narrow confines of "smart city" solutions. By integrating the timeless principles that have nurtured communities for millennia, we can build holistic models that not only future-proof our communities but also restore the essential balance between people and the planet.
Listen to the Locals…
In my journey, I've seen the consequences of cities designed with only the present in mind. We are witnessing the fallout: crumbling infrastructure, outdated waste management systems, widening inequality, divided and displaced communities, and environmental degradation. These are the visible scars of past decisions that lacked foresight.
A Holistic Place-Based Approach…
Through the lens of regenerative development and creative placemaking, we advocate for transitioning our urban landscapes into thriving "wise cities." By embracing frameworks like the Seven Pathways to Seven Generation Cities, as outlined in Sacred Civic - Building Seven Generation Cities, we begin to see urban environments as dynamic, relational spaces. This perspective invites us to reintroduce reverence into our interactions with the built environment and the living systems—people, plants, and animals—that inhabit it.
This transformation happens incrementally—home by home, block by block, neighborhood by neighborhood, and district by district.
The Remembering…
"The Wise City" draws inspiration from the Great Law of Peace of the Haudenosaunee, which emphasizes the importance of considering how our actions today will affect our grandchildren and their descendants. It is about aligning our urban development with natural systems, equitably distributing resources through participatory governance, and redefining success to include well-being, justice, and environmental health over generations.
Public investments and infrastructure must be planned through an intergenerational lens—one that fosters the co-creation and co-design of our public commons, including land, open spaces, waterways, and digital infrastructure. This shared stewardship is essential for the long-term health of our communities.
Source: Sacred Civic: Building Seven Generation Cities
The Path Forward…
This shift won’t happen overnight, and yes, it requires overcoming the differing agendas of various stakeholders. It demands a return to the art of compromise, active demonstrations of sustainable practices, and scaling successful models through cross-sector collaboration, communication, and patience. Most importantly, it requires your participation.
The challenges we face—inequality, environmental degradation, and global health crises—demand long-term cooperative solutions rooted in community. As we shift from relying solely on intellect to embracing wisdom, we must engage not just systems thinkers but ecosystems thinkers—creatives, environmentalists, community builders, and social innovators. These are the voices that consider the intersectional well-being of all beings in our design and building plans, laying the foundation for the wise, regenerative cities of tomorrow.
with gratitude, love & magic…
tcho
@_tonycho_ | tony-cho.com | LinkedIn | YouTube
Let's do it without butchers and the horrors of unnecessary animal agriculture, which tortures nonhuman animals (including egg-laying hens, their chicks, "dairy" cows, and their calves), causes chronic diseases (cardiovascular and type-2 diabetes), creates more greenhouse gases than all of transportation worldwide, requires massive amounts of land and water, and causes pandemics.