What is Interactive Public Spaces

The primary purpose of this chapter is to explore literacies for urban life and the ambient in smart cities with a focus on the digital, the algorithmic, play, and inclusion. To this end, a review of the research literature is conducted in the context of smart cities, learning cities, and future cities. Issues, controversies, and problems emerging from the literature review are highlighted, contributing to formulation of a conceptual framework for literacies and urban life and the ambient in smart cities. Using an exploratory case study approach combined with an explanatory correlational design, variables are explored such as interactive public spaces and information and communication technologies (ICTs), along with the nature of their relationships. From the perspective of literacies for urban life, insights from correlations inform understandings of smart cities, learning cities, and future cities while highlighting challenges and opportunities going forward for research and practice.