Future Cities as a system of systems: Its concept, mechanism and creation

As information technology advances rapidly, cities have become more complex and irreducible. In the Anthropocene, the process of planetary urbanization continues to affect the health of the natural and social environment, and the future of cities has a profound impact on the future of mankind. The concept of Future Cities is based on the scrutiny of the urban evolution process in human history. Future Cities are different from agricultural cities as the containers of human settlement and industrial cities as the center of production. Based on interdisciplinary and rational thinking, research on Future Cities aims to establish a way toward humanity's well-being and sustainable development. From the perspective of a system of systems, Future Cities cannot be regarded as a single system as is usual. They are a much more complex system involving many systems, and this concept needs to be understood and interpreted through systems thinking. The driving force for the change is the information revolution, which has changed the carrier of information from entity to data. Thus, information as a medium has improved its operational efficiency and strengthened the interaction and interoperation between the systems in Future Cities, which emphasizes "systemhood" than "thinghood", and triggers the formation of a system of systems. When data-based information penetrates the urban space, the "information space" emerges, and Future Cities become a combination of physical-information-social space. The "information space" also opens a new dimension for systems and people in Future Cities. As for systems, technological inventions take place in the process of digitization and informatization, including human settlement systems, energy systems, traffic systems, health systems, and environmental systems. With regard to individuals, a human being becomes "human being + information terminals", which in turn gives birth to new lifestyles and brings social innovation. Furthermore, because of the flow of information, the boundaries of different systems will blur and the gap between the systems and inhabitants will be bridged, and the well-being of humankind can be guaranteed through the precise matching of supply and demand. The creation of Future Cities requires not only bottom-up strength and self-organization but also top-down guidance and effective regulation. Urban problems need to be solved in stages from the aspects of technology invention and social innovation. When Future Cities revolve around the people themselves, people's creation of the city will return to normal life, enhancing the sense of happiness and belonging. How to stimulate the vitality of people's creativity, form a cooperative power distribution mechanism, and improve the city's ability to self-organize and operate will be important issues for future urban society. Future Cities research is a combination of theory and practice, which should adapt to the characteristics of a system of systems. Based on the practical experience of urban strategic planning and system engineering, the research can form an "overall strategic group" for the design of the system of systems, to make full use of multidisciplinary advantages and diversified perspectives. The integration of future urban research will be an iterative process of resolving conflicts; this integration requires a long-term cycle of four main steps, including reaching consensus on basic concepts, revealing the formation mechanism, refining the characteristics of different systems, and integrating the system of systems. In conclusion, the concept of Future Cities explores how the city meets people's needs for a better life. Against the backdrop of the information revolution, it is urgent to discard reductionist thinking, use systems thinking to understand the future city instead, plan and build Future Cities through continuous iterative practice, and realize the sustainable development of mankind.