Cities on the Move: What the Experts Predict for the Future of Urban Mobility

In our increasingly urbanized world, everything and everyone has adopted a lifestyle of nomadism. New environmental and social constraints have forced people to have a constant “on-the-go” behavior, so much so that almost everything has acquired wheels, even the buildings. But with the rise of debates like “is humankind being replaced by robots?” and “is technology taking over?”, urban mobility has helped give access to housing, healthcare, and education in places with extreme difficult conditions.

To shed the light on globally-thriving mobile activities, the France-based Institut pour Ville en Mouvement, or City on the Move Institute, is an organization that has been addressing the challenges posed by urban mobility and contributing to the emergence of innovative solutions. In a series of short Youtube clips, the organization invited experts in the fields of architecture, urban planning, and technology to share their insights on the future of urban mobility.

The language spoken in the following videos is French, but each video is supported with English subtitles. 

Yann Leriche; The Future of Riding a Bus

Leriche explains how the BusBike in the USA and Matatus Africa have optimized the experience of riding a bus by integrating stationary bicycles within them, along with entertainment and digital services.

Andres Borthagaray; Mobile Schools in Latin America

Some cities in Latin America have extensive geographies with remote areas, which does not allow everyone to have access to education institutes. A recent “mobile school” concept emerged in Colombia and Brazil for soldiers of armed forces who were not on the field, but needed to learn the hard skills to integrate properly back into society. Every vehicle is a unique classroom dedicated to a specific subject, such as baking, gardening, lab work…

Laetitia Dablanc; The Future of Food Delivery Services

Dablanc introduces Starship Technologies, a company that has transformed food delivery services into a totally-automated experience with zero human contact.

François Adoue; TIMM Mobile Medical Unit

Developed for rural areas that have minimal-to-no access to advanced medical equipment, the TIMM Mobile Medical Unit is a medical vehicle that provides patients with ultrasounds, radiology, and consultations via cameras, microphones, and screens.

Jean-Pierre Orfeuil; Energy-Generating Bike-Kiosks

“Bike-Kiosks” are mobile units In African countries that distribute energy to charge devices and provides Wi-FI access. The units sit on bikes and are distributed throughout congested public spaces such as food markets and bus stops. 

Pauline Beaugé de La Roque; Office on Wheels

A bus, an office, and a meeting room all in one. Office on Wheels is a bus with dedicated workspaces, equipped with Wi-Fi, docking stations, a coffee machine, meeting rooms, and individual workstations.

Nicolas Louvet; Australian Mobile Laundries 

The Orange Sky Laundry makes laundry services accessible to everyone, including those who are homeless or don’t have a fixed home. While waiting for their laundry to be washed and dried, the service creates a public space for people to gather, socialize, and be entertained.

Yao Sagna; Mobile Banks in Africa

Currently operating in three cities in West Africa and promoted by city authorities, these mobile banks are created for people who find it difficult to reach banks due to security reasons or distance. The bus is laid out as a typical bank but without a need to build infrastructure, and offers citizens several services such as money deposits, loans, transactions, and withdrawals.

This article is part of the ArchDaily Topic: The Future of Cities. Every month we explore a topic in-depth through articles, interviews, news, and projects. Learn more about our monthly topics. As always, at ArchDaily we welcome the contributions of our readers; if you want to submit an article or project, contact us.