The document envisions how the city of London may change by 2047. Population growth through immigration will make London more diverse. Technological advances like internet of things, driverless vehicles, and augmented reality will fundamentally change the city's infrastructure and jobs. Brexit may negatively impact financial services. Public services will become smarter through new funding models and streamlined processes. Buildings will be more sustainable and energy efficient with less need for parking and offices.

1. Essay L - How do you envision
the city of the future?
Application to IE Business School Global MBA Program
Richard Blades

2. How do you envision the city of the future?
• I will use London as my frame of reference, and given that some changes happen
over decades, I deAine the ‘future’ as “by 2047”, i.e. in 30 years
• To envision the future of cities, it’s important to understand the main factors driving
changes in them. The main factors affecting London are as follows…

3. Social & Cultural factors
• The city’s population
will continue to grow
(reaching 9.8m by
2025) due to
immigration and high
natural growth rate
• Population diversity
will grow due to
overseas immigration,
despite Brexit
• Continued support for
public provision of
social services for
minorities

4. Technological factors
• “Internet of Things” technologies
(sensors, networks, data, ArtiAicial
Intelligence (AI)) will advance,
allowing many aspects of every day
civic life to be simpliAied, if not
automated
• Proliferation of the smartphone,
connectivity and cloud as platforms
for services
• The introduction of driverless
vehicles, personal airborne transport
formats (e.g. drones) will
fundamentally shape the city’s form,
safety and it’s environment
• Augmented and Virtual Reality will
change where certain jobs need to be
done, and transform the delivery of
some public services

5. Political & Legal factors
• Adoption of “agile development”
principles is being trialled in policy
making which should lead to better
public service provision
• E-voting will become feasible, allowing
the electorate to more strongly drive
the civic agenda and hold politicians to
account
• Strict planning policies and
preservation of the “green belt” will
come under pressure from the demand
for housing and space by the increasing
population.
• Continued pressure on public Ainances
will steadily erode local government
funding, forcing them to look at new
public-private funding models
• Continued support for public provision
and sustainability agendas

6. Commercial & Economic factors
• Brexit could negatively impact
the Ainancial services industry
if “passporting rights” are
eliminated
• Lower barriers to entry in many
industries through technological
advances, and the availability of
digital talent will drive sustained
growth in start-ups, Alexible working
and demand for Alexible working
spaces
• The application of AI, use of robots
and process automation will have a
fundamental impact on the types and
location of jobs

7. Architectural factors
• The trend amongst millennials and older cohorts
for co-living, will reduce the pressure on housing
stock and suppress the need for new housing
• Home upgrading (extending) will continue to
alleviate the need to building new homes
• The growing trend towards “skinny” skyscrapers
opens up new possibilities to optimise land use
and real estate occupancy in the CBD, and reduce
city ‘sprawl’
• Sustainability remains an important factor in
residential and commercial new builds, and
renovation

8. I envisage a number of key changes to
London’s fabric and people…

9. … to Transport and Commerce
• Driverless, and some airborne, vehicles
• Vehicle sharing will have traction
• Smart tube services will allow more frequent
services
• Smart vehicles and trafAic management systems will
drive greater road use efAiciency
• Financial services will continue to
dominate
• Greater employment in hospitality
and entertainment sectors
• The concept of a retail dominated
High Street will diminish

10. … to People and Security
• Population will
continue to grow as
it becomes a more
pleasant place to
live
• More and smarter
infrastructure providing
personal and public security
• Biometric and digital entry
and ticketing will be the
norm

11. … to Public Services
• Greater use of citizen
funding models, and
greater private
(corporate) sector
Ainancing of public
services
• Planning and policy
making processes will
be streamlined
• Public services will be
smarter – waste
provision, lighting, etc.

12. … to the Environment and Architecture
• Greater use of renewable
energy and energy
efAiciency
• Less need for parking,
allowing space to be
converted to greener uses
• Buildings will be smarter and safer
• Less need for centralised, physical
ofAice space
• VR rooms will start to replace video
conferencing facilities