This shift called for a cultural transformation, in which every citizen became a co-creator of their environment, enabled by the Smart Built Space. Once we were cared for by Folkhemmet; now citizens, the industry, and the municipality collaborate in creating unique places that care for us.

Alex, 18 years old, wakes up with their AI coach.

"First day of the holiday, and nothing to do... any suggestions, coach?"

"Ah, I hear you, Alex. Listen, there’s an opportunity for you: the city is running a navigation program during the holiday. Why don’t you join in with your floating cave idea?."

Youth start early in school to practice imagination and agency by activating and redesigning spaces in a city learning program. By ninth grade, they have learnt to use the Smart Built Space, where citizens and leaders alike, can ask it directly - “can we do this project?”

Answers come immediately, based on those data and topics that the individual asking has the right to access.

What is at the heart of the ecosystem of intelligent tools with a huge data complex, often referred to as the Smart Built Space? That depends on who is asking! For co-creating local spaces, two things are crucial – the matchmaking¹ model and the smart contracts².

It is well known that when assets are put to work in the Smart Built Space, they will generate more value faster. Decision-makers discuss who is working with their assets, and ways to support the collaborations that will maximize the value-creation potential.

After lunch and Alex connects with the virtual Navigator.

“Alex, I see you’ve worked in the Smart Built Space with your school. You’ve earned 20 points and qualify for local collaborations. Can you describe your idea?”

“It’s a pontoon with a bio-organic beach cave—a happy place for Stockholmers dealing with heavy rains and hotter summers. The cave, woven from bio-based materials, provides shade and doubles as a playful climbing structure, while the sandy pontoon creates a relaxing retreat. We’ll gather everyone who wants to hand weave the construction.”

“OK – I will find places that are suitable for your idea, considering regulations and the city’s strategy. Rightie, we have three possible places and I assume you’d prefer the one closest to your home?

There is one issue, the water quality needs to be measured. The voluntary registry there has a specialist who can test the water and she wants to support youth involvement. I’ll connect you. You can listen to the place later to learn about its facts and its soul; you might want to develop your idea further.

Boom! I found a group of actors that can support your work. There’s only one requirement we haven’t met yet… are you or your community willing to activate seniors in the area using the floating cave? I can give you a few suggestions on how…”

“Sure.”

“Approval registered. Now it is time to move on to the twin for visualising your idea, and get some exact measurements. Then we can search the material registry and get in line for an ocean robustness test.”

A twin³ is a 4D visualisation of the city where Alex can design and iterate their ideas. It uses the same gaming platform as Alex’s favourite online game so creating the design comes easy. They just finish the rough design of the pontoon when a curator from an Integrated Innovation (II) Stewardship⁴ connects in the chat.

Alex makes first contact with the place curator in the late afternoon.

“Hi, Alex – I’m Anje, the curator. I’m reaching out about the pontoon idea. It’s incredible – just this morning we said we needed a new, community-grounded idea, and here you are with one! We’d love to get you onboard with our mission and, if you’re open to it, collaborate with a few other young people and seniors whose interests could complement your vision."

"Uh… sounds interesting, I guess?" Alex replies hesitantly.

"Who are you?"

"I’m a place curator from an II Stewardship – perhaps you’ve heard of our mission to co-create 50% of public spaces in this area with young adults by 2045? We’re having a fire meet-up – please say you can join us and meet some of the others!”

As the day comes to a close, everyone involved in the place gathers to share stories around the sensory fireplace – LumenMind⁵. Bathed in its pulsing, immersive light, the group engages in a form of social imagination, bridging life-as-we-know-it and life-as-it-could-be. The Smart Built Space, an augmented collective artificial intelligence, facilitates real-time connections. As new relationships form by the minute, the group takes this time to reflect, share stories, and simply be human together.

The circle fills up, and LumenMind poses the first question: "What brought you here?"

An elder, Anders, signals to speak.

"I’m only 75. When I went to school, everyone trained to be experts in engineering or finance. I remember sitting in large meeting rooms, making decisions about places I’d only visited once! The concept of this serendipity machine was unimaginable back then. We didn’t understand who we could be, if we didn't have most knowledge in our heads. “I know, I know”, he chuckles, “Smart Built Space is not a machine. It is my old way of thinking.

Then three major changes hit the building sector. The metaverse of work and consumption was major, but I don’t need to tell you that – most of you are there everyday!

When the 0,4% construction limit came, it felt like nothing could be built until true circularity was achieved. Regardless of whether populations were growing or shrinking, there was immense pressure all over Sweden to adapt spaces in new and dynamic ways. Building new spaces is still viewed as the last resort. And when impact investment became dominant, everyone wanted in on the business of repurposing for humans and nature. To get the funding, all assets needed to be online in order to prove their contribution to new value flows.

All along there was the rainfall of regulations. Many actors used them as a springboard to join forces, sharing infrastructure and data workers to create local and national Smart Built Spaces. Their investment was the equivalent of a new real estate project: funds they pooled for over a decade. Where we are today may feel natural to you, but getting here was ten years of immense effort that completely changed us.”

Anders finishes his story with a wry smile. Alex leans in and says:

“I feel… I’m just… grateful, being here with you. Maybe our next meetup can be in the floating cave!”

The Method

Our horizon scan gathered over 80 signals that were used to develop scenarios. A group of 30 16-year-olds were immersed in the early concepts, reacting to them and creating their own visions. Current barriers and opportunities in the sector were identified. We related to the contemporary body of futures as seen in industry reports, futures scenarios and art. The final vision was then developed through writing and telling each other stories from the future, imagining the innovations and how they are used. References and more stories at beyondblueprints.se.

The Team

Vanessa Ware, innovation process leader Wild Ride
Malin Lampa, smart city strategist TechSeed
Maria Lindelöf, sustainability strategist Enköping kommun
Bo Baudin, strategist soft digital infrastructure SKR
Katrin Behdjou Arshi, urban development director Fastighetsägarna Stockholm
Karin Victorin, artist, anthropologist and AI expert Wild Ride

Illustration

Luciana Amado

LumenMind Art Piece and Prototype

Karin Victorin

Thank You

Fariba Daryani at the City of Stockholm Transport Department, students and teachers at Anna Whitlocks gymnasium.