Information technology is no longer new, it has become part of every day life. The focus of urban design is to identify lasting values, to which technology becomes a support. Communities have the choice of whether they wish to look inwards and build on their existing resources and attributes, or whether they wish to be extrovert, attracting in new ideas and skills. Do they wish to constrain or stimulate growth. In contrast a city like Leicester aims to stimulate growth by enhancing its external links, attracting outsiders and externalizing its relationships.
Cities have a choice.
Urban design can help to articulate the options, develop agreeable visions and manage and moderate the growth. I have proposed that cities can develop in a variety of ways, depending on their context and expectations. The world is changing and communities can control that change.