Smart City Feature: Songdo, South Korea
Could Songdo become the smartest city on earth?
Although it is located just 45 minutes from downtown Seoul, Songdo strives to be more than just a bedroom community. A city built entirely from scratch, Songdo is adopting advanced new technology to make it as livable and environmentally friendly as possible. Built with sustainable commuting in mind, Songbo boasts numerous bike trails and walking trails through beautiful parks. ‘Bus’ing is also easy, as there are also sensors to detect buses, delivering precise arrival times right to your phone. For those who prefer to drive, there are also electric car charging stations across the city.
Household living is also becoming easier with state-of-the art technology in the home. Gone are the days of putting the bin out once a week for the noisy garbage truck to collect. Now garbage is taken directly from kitchens through vacuum suction to waste processing centres. Samsung is also developing new technology to sync household appliances with smartphones.
Not only does Songbo cater to making technology smarter; but also it’s citizens. There are four universities within the city that also provide programs for professional development. Songdo has also reformed the education system, with a brand new K-12 international school aiming for 70% of its students to be international students and 30% local.
For anyone planning to start a family or carry on a business in an exciting new place, Songbo is a 100 million-square-foot, waterfront city that is guaranteed to make you feel at home — just smarter.
