This book investigates novel methods and technologies for the collection analysis and
representation of real-time user-generated data at the urban scale in order to explore
potential scenarios for more participatory design planning and management processes. For this
purpose the authors present a set of experiments conducted in collaboration with urban
stakeholders at various levels (including citizens city administrators urban planners local
industries and NGOs) in Milan and New York in 2012. It is examined whether geo-tagged and
user-generated content can be of value in the creation of meaningful real-time indicators of
urban quality as it is perceived and communicated by the citizens. The meanings that people
attach to places are also explored to discover what such an urban semantic layer looks like and
how it unfolds over time. As a conclusion recommendations are proposed for the exploitation of
user-generated content in order to answer hitherto unsolved urban questions. Readers will find
in this book a fascinating exploration of techniques for mining the social web that can be
applied to procure user-generated content as a means of investigating urban dynamics.
