Research Project
Researchers: Mr Sam Kashuk (Managed by)
Brief description The forces of globalization and developments in information technology are leading to the ready access to, and a democratization of knowledge. This is reflected in the design of urban spaces that draw on the capabilities of a collective intelligence. Before the emergence of globalization the flow of information and knowledge were much slower, and it occurred mainly as a result of trade and military conquests. There have been some cities in the world that formed communications hubs. Many of these cities were located in coastal areas which naturally led them to be a source and repository of knowledge of itinerants from the known world. One of these locations is the old city of Bushehr. Bushehr grew in importance about three centuries ago as one of principal trading ports in the Persian Gulf, and it has successively been a naval base used by the East India Company and the British navy from the early eighteenth century until the twentieth century. Because of the strong maritime links between Bushehr and the west coast of India, the east coast of Africa and Iran’s mainland specific types of urban spaces formed in this area which was affected strongly by flow of knowledge between these regions. Bushehr’s design is based on a collective intelligence. This project traces this flow of knowledge and the role that collective intelligence had in the development of the old town of Bushehr. It shows how urban design benefits from communication and circulation of knowledge that ultimately results in an environmentally sustainable design. The project also demonstrates an analogy between traditional forms and contemporary forms of knowledge that can lead to creation of an ecocity. Project Organization Unit: School of Engineering and Science, Victoria University