Technological City or Livable City: Urban Trends and Their Implementation in Moscow

Abstract

This article explores various approaches to sustainable urban development, including the concepts of smart and convenient cities, based on international research and Russian urban planning practices. While these concepts have gained popularity in Russian urban planning, their implementation has not always resulted in greater convenience for citizens. The article examines the significant gap between the anticipated benefits of developing “smart”, convenient, and comfortable cities, and the actual direction of development. Using Moscow as an example, the article analyzes the key elements of sustainable urbanism and the smart city concept, and their implementation. Through the analysis of national and local strategies for sustainable development, smart cities, and various urban projects, the definition of a smart city has been reduced to technological and digital indicators, such as the number of new internet access points or metro stations, without consideration of the qualitative aspects of changes in the urban environment. Consequently, there is a gap between the development of a digital city and the creation of a livable city. The article notes that the idea of a “convenient” city is often considered separately from that of a “smart” city, and the subjective assessment of the urban environment by citizens is often overlooked. This bias may distort the analysis of efforts to create a “smart” and “convenient” city, leading to a mismatch between the smart and convenient parameters of urban life, and eroding the idea of a city that is truly convenient for its residents.