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{{Short description | American architect}}
'''Kent Larson''' is Director of the City Science research group<ref>{{cite web|title=City Science|url=/proxy/https://www.media.mit.edu/groups/city-science/overview/|website=MIT Media Lab|accessdate=10 January 2018}}</ref> at the [[MIT Media Lab]].<ref>{{cite web|title=PLAN 85: ARTICLE. The City Science Initiative At The Media Lab|url=/proxy/https://sap.mit.edu/article/standard/city-science-initiative-media-lab|website=MIT School of Architecture + Planning|accessdate=10 January 2018}}</ref><ref>[https://www.media.mit.edu/people/kll MIT Media Lab Web Site]</ref> Before joining MIT full-time in 2000, he practiced [[architecture]] for 15 years in [[New York City]]. His research focuses on developing urban interventions that enable more entrepreneurial, livable, high-performance urban districts. Projects include advanced simulation and augmented reality for urban design, transformable micro-housing for millennials, mobility-on-demand systems that create alternatives to private automobiles, and urban living lab deployments in Hamburg, Helsinki, Andorra, Taipei, Shanghai, Toronto, and Guadalajara. He and the researchers from his MIT lab have twice received the “10-Year Impact Award” from Ubicomp: a “test of time” award for work that, with the benefit of that hindsight, has had the greatest impact. His book, Louis I. Kahn: Unbuilt Masterworks was selected as one of the Ten Best Books in Architecture by the New York Times Review of Books.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/books/00/12/03/reviews/001203.03architt.html?_r=1 Reviews of the Ten Best Books in Architecture, 2000 by the New York Times Review of Books]</ref> Larson's TED talk, "Brilliant designs to fit more people in every city," summarized his vision for cities in the future.


'''Kent Larson''' is an [[architect]] and Professor of the Practice<ref name=Overview>{{cite web | url=/proxy/https://www.media.mit.edu/people/kll/overview/ | title=Kent Larson Overview | website=MIT Media Lab | publisher=Massachusetts Institute of Technology | access-date=2024-01-16}}</ref> at the [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]]. Larson is currently director of the City Science<ref>{{cite web | url=/proxy/https://www.media.mit.edu/groups/city-science/overview/ | title=City Science | website=MIT Media Lab | publisher=Massachusetts Institute of Technology | access-date=2024-01-16}}</ref> research group at the [[MIT Media Lab]], and co-director with [[Norman Foster, Baron Foster of Thames Bank|Lord Norman Foster]] of the Norman Foster Institute on Sustainable Cities<ref>{{cite web | url=/proxy/https://www.normanfosterinstitute.org | title=Norman Foster Institute on Sustainable Cities | website=NFI | publisher=Norman Foster Foundation | access-date=2024-01-16}}</ref> based in [[Madrid]].<ref>{{cite web | url=/proxy/https://www.dezeen.com/courses/on-sustainable-cities-by-norman-foster-institute/ | title=On Sustainable Cities by Norman Foster Institute | website=Dezeen | date=23 June 2023 | publisher=Dezeen Limited | access-date=2024-01-16}}</ref> His research is focused on [[urban design]], [[modeling and simulation]], compact transformable [[housing]], and ultralight [[autonomous mobility on demand]].<ref name=Overview/> He has established an international consortium of City Science Network labs,<ref>{{cite web | url=/proxy/https://citysciencenetwork.org | title=City Science Network | publisher=Massachusetts Institute of Technology | access-date=2024-01-16}}</ref> and is a founder of multiple [[MIT Media Lab#spin-offs|MIT Media Lab spin-off]] companies, including Ori Living<ref name=OriLiving>{{cite web | url=/proxy/https://www.oriliving.com | title=Ori Living | website=Ori Design Studio | publisher=Ori, Inc. | access-date=2024-01-16}}</ref> and L3cities.<ref>{{cite web | url=/proxy/https://www.l3cities.com | title=L3cities | website=L3cities.com | publisher=Larson Living Labs | access-date=2024-01-16}}</ref>
==Research at MIT==
Larson's MIT research has focused on four areas:


==Architectural career==
'''Responsive Housing:''' The Changing Places project is focused on developing strategies to create high-performance, technology-enabled personalized, places of living that respond to a shortage of affordable urban housing and new ways of living and working. In this approach, buildings are disentangled into three independently configured layers: high performance chassis (building structure and utilities), integrated infill that makes use of agile technology and architectural robotics, and responsive façade modules. These concepts are being deployed in the CityHome: a compact, transformable apartment system for urban dwellers that functions as if a much larger space. Larson is a founder of ORI Living, an MIT spinoff company to commercialize architectural robotics.{{cn|date=September 2019}}
Larson practiced architecture in [[New York City]] beginning in 1981<ref>{{cite web | url=/proxy/https://www.archimuse.com/ichim99/bios/au_85010685.html | title=ichim 99 speakers | website=archimuse.com | publisher=Archives & Museum Informatics | access-date=2024-01-16}}</ref> with [[Peter L. Gluck]] and Partners.<ref>{{cite magazine | author= | date=Spring 2006 | title=Open Source Building | url=/proxy/https://www.daylightandarchitecture.com/ | magazine=Daylight & Architecture | publisher=Velux | archive-url=/proxy/http://web.archive.org/web/20060301000000/https://www.daylightandarchitecture.com/ | archive-date=2006-03-01 | access-date=2024-01-16}} [https://issuu.com/da-magazine/docs/da02 Alt URL]</ref> He was partner-in-charge of works including "Pavilions and pool at the [[Ludwig Mies van der Rohe]] house"<ref>{{cite magazine | last=Goldberger | first=Paul | date=February 1992 | title=Architecture: Modifying Mies | url=/proxy/https://archive.architecturaldigest.com/article/1992/2/architecture-modifying-mies | magazine=Architectural Digest | publisher=Condé Nast | access-date=2024-01-16}}</ref> in [[Weston, Connecticut]] and an addition to Uris Hall<ref>{{cite book | last=Pressman | first=Andy | date=1995 | title=The Fountainheadache: the politics of architect-client relations | location=New York | publisher=Wiley | page=107 | isbn=9780471309925}}</ref> of the [[Columbia Business School]] at [[Columbia University]] in New York City.


===Unbuilt Architecture===
'''Urban Modeling and Prediction:''' The CityScope project <ref>{{cite web|title=CityScope|url=/proxy/https://www.media.mit.edu/projects/cityscope/overview/|website=MIT Media Lab|accessdate=10 January 2019}}</ref> combines physical 3D models, augmented reality, and real-time prediction to support experts and non-experts in a new decision-making process to make better cities. CityScope platforms have been deployed in Cambridge<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Alonso|first=Luis|last2=Zhang|first2=Yan Ryan|last3=Grignard|first3=Arnaud|last4=Noyman|first4=Ariel|last5=Sakai|first5=Yasushi|last6=ElKatsha|first6=Markus|last7=Doorley|first7=Ronan|last8=Larson|first8=Kent|date=2018|editor-last=Morales|editor-first=Alfredo J.|editor2-last=Gershenson|editor2-first=Carlos|editor3-last=Braha|editor3-first=Dan|editor4-last=Minai|editor4-first=Ali A.|editor5-last=Bar-Yam|editor5-first=Yaneer|title=CityScope: A Data-Driven Interactive Simulation Tool for Urban Design. Use Case Volpe|journal=Unifying Themes in Complex Systems IX|series=Springer Proceedings in Complexity|language=en|publisher=Springer International Publishing|pages=253–261|doi=10.1007/978-3-319-96661-8_27|isbn=978-3-319-96661-8}}</ref>, Boston<ref>{{Cite web|url=/proxy/https://news.mit.edu/2015/interactive-platform-design-bus-rapid-transit-brt-systems-1007|title=New interactive platform for the design of bus rapid transit systems|website=MIT News|access-date=2020-01-01}}</ref>, Hamburg, Andorra, Helsinki, Shanghai, and other cities around the world. The FindingPlaces<ref name=":0" /> project made use of a CityScope to bring together the residents of Hamburg, Germany to identify optimal locations to provide housing for a growing number of refugees from the war in Syria. It combined optically tagged color-coded LEGO bricks, touch feed-back and geographical simulation algorithms to create a hands-on experience that allowed users to understand current land features and collectively propose housing sites by placing tangible [[LEGO]] bricks at different sites on the physical model. Through this immersive process, project partners from MIT City Science, the Hamburg Mayor’s Office, and [[HafenCity University Hamburg]] (HCU) brought the residents’ personal experiences and local knowledge into the government’s decision-making process.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|last=Noyman|first=Ariel|last2=Holtz|first2=Tobias|last3=Kröger|first3=Johannes|last4=Noennig|first4=Jörg Rainer|last5=Larson|first5=Kent|date=2017-01-01|title=Finding Places: HCI Platform for Public Participation in Refugees' Accommodation Process|journal=Procedia Computer Science|series=Knowledge-Based and Intelligent Information & Engineering Systems: Proceedings of the 21st International Conference, KES-20176-8 September 2017, Marseille, France|volume=112|pages=2463–2472|doi=10.1016/j.procs.2017.08.180|issn=1877-0509|doi-access=free}}</ref>
In 1993, Larson published "A Virtual Landmark"<ref>{{cite magazine | last=Larson | first=Kent | date=September 1993 | title=A Virtual Landmark | pages=80–87 | magazine=Progressive Architecture | publisher=Reinhold}}
</ref> in [[Progressive Architecture]], using [[radiosity (computer graphics)|radiosity lighting]] and material simulation software to create a virtual photographic study of [[Louis I. Kahn]]'s as-yet unbuilt [[Hurva Synagogue]] in [[Jerusalem]]. This work was selected by [[Time (magazine)]] as a "Best Design of the Year" selection for 1993.<ref>{{cite magazine | author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> | title=The Best Design of 1993 | url=/proxy/https://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,1125843-2,00.html | magazine=Time | location=New York | publisher=Time | date=January 3, 1994 | access-date=2024-01-16}}</ref> Larson expanded this work into the book, ''Louis I. Kahn: Unbuilt Masterworks'',<ref>{{cite book | last=Larson | first=Kent | date=2000 | title=Louis I. Kahn: Unbuilt Masterworks | location=New York | publisher=Monacelli | isbn= 9781580930147}}</ref> which was selected by [[The New York Times Book Review]] as one of "The Ten Best Books in Architecture" for the year 2000.<ref>{{cite magazine | last=Filler | first=Martin | date=December 3, 2000 | title=Editors' Choice: The 10 best books of 2000 | url=/proxy/https://www.nytimes.com/section/books/review | url-status=live | magazine=New York Times Book Review | location=New York | publisher=The New York Times Company | archive-url=/proxy/https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/books/00/12/03/reviews/001203.03architt.html | archive-date=2000-12-03 | access-date=2024-01-16}}</ref>


==Academic career==
'''Urban Mobility-on-Demand:''' Upon the 2010 death of William J. Mitchell, former Dean of the MIT School of Architecture and Planning, Larson's group continued work on the MIT CityCar and developed concepts for shared-use light electric vehicles and intelligent fleet management to provide high-levels of service through sensor networks, dynamic incentives, and intelligent charging. Kent Larson's City Science research group is currently developing a shared-use, ultra-lightweight, autonomous, three-wheel electric vehicle, called the Persuasive Electric Vehicle or PEV, to move both people and goods along bike lanes in central cities.{{cn|date=September 2019}}
Larson began research and teaching in 1998<ref>
{{cite web | url=/proxy/https://www.ted.com/speakers/kent_larson | title=TED Speakers Profile of Kent Larson | date=June 2012 | website=ted.com | publisher=TED Conferences, LLC | access-date=2024-01-16}}</ref> at the [[MIT School of Architecture and Planning]]. He currently has a joint appointment with the MIT Media Lab and Department of Architecture.<ref name=Overview/>

===CityHome===
Larson introduced the CityHome concept in 2011,<ref>{{cite web | url=/proxy/https://www.media.mit.edu/projects/OLD_cityhome2/overview/ | title=MIT CityHome | website=MIT Media Lab | publisher=Massachusetts Institute of Technology | access-date=2024-01-16}}
</ref> using full-scale [[home]] [[prototypes]] to test technologies for high-performance, personalized places of living in response to a [[housing crisis]] driven by a lack of [[affordable housing]].<ref> {{cite web | url=/proxy/https://www.bostonmagazine.com/news/2014/06/02/mit-wants-furnish-tiny-apartment/ | title= MIT Wants to Furnish Your Tiny Apartment | last=Randall | first=Eric | date=June 6, 2014 | website=Boston Magazine |publisher= Metro Corp | access-date=2024-01-16}}
</ref> The CityHome concept makes use of three independently configured layers: a high-performance [[chassis]] layer consisting of modular [[framing (construction)]] and [[utility services]],<ref>
{{cite thesis |last=Lawrence |first=Tyson T. |date= 2003 |title= Chassis + infill: A consumer-driven, open source building approach for adaptive, mass customized housing |url=/proxy/https://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/89903 |degree=Master of Science |publisher=Massachusetts Institute of Technology |hdl=1721.1/89903 |access-date=2024-01-16}}</ref> an integrated infill layer that makes use of architectural robotics,<ref>
{{cite thesis |last=Larrea-Tamayo |first=Hasier. |date= 2015 |title= ARkits: Architectural robotics kits |url=/proxy/https://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/98627 |degree=Master of Science |publisher=Massachusetts Institute of Technology |hdl=1721.1/98627 |access-date=2024-01-16}}</ref> and a [[responsive architecture]] layer that incorporates [[adaptive facade]] modules.<ref>
{{cite thesis |last=Lonergan |first=Ronan |date= 2011 |title= The robotic fac̦ade: A design solution for energy conservation in the CityHome of the future |url=/proxy/https://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/68949 |degree=Master of Science |publisher=Massachusetts Institute of Technology |hdl=1721.1/68949 |access-date=2024-01-16}}</ref> In 2015 the CityHome research project was spun-off into Ori Living<ref name=OriLiving/> for commercialization in collaboration with designer [[Yves Béhar]].<ref>
{{cite web |url=/proxy/https://techcrunch.com/2017/05/31/ori-systems-brings-the-robotic-furniture-of-the-future-to-apartments-today/ |title=Ori Systems brings the robotic furniture of the future to apartments today |last=Sheiber |first=Jonathan |date=May 31, 2017 |website=TechCrunch |publisher=Yahoo |access-date=2024-01-16}}</ref>

=== CityScope ===
The CityScope<ref>{{cite web | url=/proxy/https://www.media.mit.edu/projects/cityscope/overview/ | title=MIT CityScope | website=MIT Media Lab | publisher=Massachusetts Institute of Technology | access-date=2024-01-16}}
</ref> project is an [[open-source]] [[Computing platform|platform]]<ref>{{cite web | url=/proxy/https://cityscope.media.mit.edu/ | title=CityScope GitHub | website=MIT Media Lab | publisher=Massachusetts Institute of Technology | access-date=2024-01-16}}
</ref> developed by Larson and his team to combine [[LEGO]] bricks in a [[tangible user interface]] with [[augmented reality]] and [[real-time simulation]] to support experts and non-experts in a new decision-making process to make better cities.<ref>
{{cite thesis |last=Noyman |first=Ariel |date= 2022 |title=CityScope: An Urban modeling and Simulation Platform |url=/proxy/https://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/145128 |degree=Ph.D. |publisher=Massachusetts Institute of Technology |hdl=1721.1/145128 |access-date=2024-01-16}}</ref> CityScope applications have been deployed in cities around the world.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Alonso |first1=Luis |first2=Kent |last2=Larson |chapter=CityScope: A Data-Driven Interactive Simulation Tool for Urban Design. Use Case Volpe |series=Springer Proceedings in Complexity |display-authors=1 |date=2018 |title=Unifying Themes in Complex Systems IX |chapter-url=/proxy/https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-96661-8_27 |volume=9 |issue= |pages=253–261 |doi=10.1007/978-3-319-96661-8_27 |isbn=978-3-319-96660-1 |access-date=2024-01-16}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Grignard |first1=Arnaud |last2=Larson |first2=Kent |display-authors=1 |date=2018 |title=Cityscope Andorra: a multi-level interactive and tangible agent-based visualization |url=/proxy/https://dl.acm.org/doi/abs/10.5555/3237383.3238030 |journal=Proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Autonomous Agents and MultiAgent Systems |pages=1939–1940 |access-date=2024-01-16}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Grignard |first1=Arnaud |last2=Larson |first2=Kent |chapter=CityScope Hanoi: Interactive simulation for water management in the Bac Hung Hai irrigation system |display-authors=1 |date=2020 |title=2020 12th International Conference on Knowledge and Systems Engineering (KSE) |chapter-url=/proxy/https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9287831 |pages=153–158 |doi=10.1109/KSE50997.2020.9287831 |isbn=978-1-7281-4510-5 |url=/proxy/https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-03086988/file/20%20-%20KSE%20-%20BHH%20-%20vFinale.pdf |access-date=2024-01-16}}</ref> In 2016<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Noyman |first1=Ariel |last2=Larson |first2=Kent |display-authors=1 |date=2017 |title=Finding places: HCI platform for public participation in refugees' accommodation process |url=/proxy/https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877050917315375 |journal=Procedia Computer Science |volume=112 |pages=2463–2472 |doi=10.1016/j.procs.2017.08.180 |access-date=2024-01-16|arxiv=1811.10123 }}</ref> Larson partnered with the city of [[Hamburg]] and [[HafenCity University]] to use CityScope to bring together the residents of Hamburg, [[Germany]] to identify optimal locations to provide housing for a growing number of [[refugees of the Syrian Civil War]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Sprandel |first1=Anselm |date=2018 |title=Housing and integrating refugees in Hamburg |url=/proxy/http://journals.openedition.org/factsreports/4696
|journal=Field Actions Science Reports |pages=20–25 |issue=18 |access-date=2024-01-16}}</ref> City residents used the CityScope interface to bring their local knowledge into the government's decision-making process in order to reduce [[social exclusion]] by locating refugees in proximity to existing communities and [[social services]].<ref>{{cite web |url= https://use.metropolis.org/case-studies/finding-places |title=Finding Places |website=Urban Sustainability Exchange |publisher=Metropolis |access-date=2024-01-16}}
</ref>

===Lightweight Autonomous Mobility===
Upon the 2010 death of [[William J. Mitchell]], former [[Dean (education)|Dean]] of the MIT School of Architecture and Planning, Larson continued work on the [[MIT CityCar]], developing a full-scale prototype that integrated [[wheel hub motor]] technology, [[drive-by-wire]] control, front entry and egress, and mechanical folding so that three CityCars can fit in one parallel parking space.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.theverge.com/2012/1/25/2733709/hiriko-folding-car-electric-ev-citycar-mit |title=Hiriko electric car folds up to take one-third of a parking spot, pilot program to begin next year |date=26 January 2012 |publisher=TheVerge |access-date=2024-01-16}}</ref> Larson's group worked with automotive suppliers in [[Spain]] to develop a commercial version of the MIT CityCar called [[Hiriko]]: a folding two-passenger vehicle with zero [[turning radius]] robot wheels for high maneuverability in [[urban areas]].<ref>{{cite web |url=/proxy/https://archive.nytimes.com/wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/25/m-i-t-citycar-renamed-hiriko-is-headed-to-production/ |title=M.I.T. CityCar, Renamed Hiriko, Is Headed to Production |work=The New York Times |date=25 January 2012 |access-date=2024-01-16}}</ref>

Larson's team also developed a [[shared transport]] ultra-lightweight, [[vehicle automation|autonomous]], [[three-wheeled]] [[electric vehicle]], called the "Persuasive Electric Vehicle" or "PEV".<ref>{{cite web | url=/proxy/https://www.media.mit.edu/projects/PEV/overview/ | title=Persuasive Electric Vehicle | website=MIT Media Lab | publisher=Massachusetts Institute of Technology | access-date=2024-01-16}}</ref> The PEV is designed to move both people and goods in cities, using [[human-robot interaction]] techniques to communicate awareness, trust, and empathy with pedestrians.<ref>{{cite web | url=/proxy/https://collection.cooperhewitt.org/objects/2318795916/ | title=Persuasive Electric Vehicle,2014 | website=Cooper Hewitt Museum | publisher=Smithsonian Design Museum | access-date=2024-01-16}}</ref> Larson has since applied the principles of the PEV to the design of an autonomous [[electric bicycle]]<ref>{{cite web | url=/proxy/https://www.media.mit.edu/projects/AutonomousBicycleProject/overview/ | title=Autonomous Bicycle Project | website=MIT Media Lab | publisher=Massachusetts Institute of Technology | access-date=2024-01-16}}</ref> that transforms into a [[self-driving]] [[tricycle]] for on-demand dockless [[Bicycle-sharing system|bicycle sharing]] with [[Autonomous mobility on demand#Rebalancing|fleet rebalancing]].<ref>{{cite web | url=/proxy/https://www.autoevolution.com/news/the-mit-autonomous-bicycle-is-a-regular-bike-that-becomes-self-driving-trike-147554.html | title=The MIT Autonomous Bicycle Is a Regular Bike That Becomes Self-Driving Trike | website=autoevolution | date=18 August 2020 | publisher=SoftNews Net S.R.L. | access-date=2024-01-16}}</ref>

=== Living Labs ===
Larson, along with colleagues William J. Mitchell, and [[Alex (Sandy) Pentland]] at MIT, is credited with first exploring the concept of a [[Living lab|Living Laboratory]] for [[sensor]]-enabled research on [[human behavior]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Claudel |first1=Matthew |date=2018 |title=From organizations to organizational fields: The evolution of civic innovation ecosystems |url=/proxy/https://timreview.ca/article/1163 |journal=Technology Innovation Management Review |volume=8 |issue=6 |pages=34–37 |doi= 10.22215/timreview/1163|access-date=2024-01-16|doi-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Ferronato |first1=Priscilla |last2=Mercer |first2=Lisa |last3=Roberts-Smith |first3=Jennifer |last4=Ruecker |first4=Stan |date=2019 |title=Living Labs and the DH Centre: Lessons for Each from the Other |url=/proxy/https://kula.uvic.ca/index.php/kula/article/view/81/156 |journal=KULA: Knowledge Creation, Dissemination, and Preservation Studies |volume=3 |issue=1 |page=14 |doi=10.5334/kula.46 |doi-access=free |access-date=2024-01-16}}</ref> Living labs represent "a [[user-centric]] [[research methodology]] for sensing, [[prototyping]], validating and refining complex solutions in multiple and evolving [[real life]] contexts."<ref>
Eriksson, M., Niitamo, V. P., & Kulkki, S. (2005). State-of-the-art in utilizing Living Labs approach to user-centric ICT innovation-a European approach. Lulea: Center for Distance-spanning Technology. Lulea University of Technology Sweden: Lulea.</ref>

Larson's living lab research focuses on developing computational tools to understand human behavior in natural environments, such as the PlaceLab,<ref>Intille, S. S., Larson, K., Beaudin, J., Tapia, E. M., Kaushik, P., Nawyn, J., & McLeish, T. J. (2005). The PlaceLab: A live-in laboratory for pervasive computing research (video). Proceedings of PERVASIVE 2005 Video Program.
</ref> an apartment-scale living environment instrumented with sensing for [[data collection]] on applications that respond to human behavior, with an emphasis on proactive health, energy conservation, and the support of new ways of living and working.<ref>{{cite web |url=/proxy/https://www.southcoasttoday.com/story/news/2004/12/25/placelab-studies-interaction-with-home/50356377007/ |title=PlaceLab studies interaction with home tech |last=Roberts, Jr. |first=Glenn |date= December 24, 2004 |website=South Coast Today |publisher=The Standard-Times |access-date=2024-01-16}}</ref>

Larson and researchers from his MIT lab received 10-Year Impact Awards from the [[Association for Computing Machinery]] Ubiquitous and Pervasive computing conferences in 2014 and 2019 for recognition of their work on living labs that, with the test of time, has had the greatest impact on the research community.<ref>[https://ubicomp.org/sc/awards.html?_r=1 Pervasive 10 Year Impact Award]</ref>

=== The 15-minute City ===
Kent Larson was an early proponent of compact, walkable communities, which later became known as the [[15-minute city]] concept for promoting sustainable living and improved quality of life. In a 2012 [[TED (conference)|TED]] talk,<ref>{{cite web |url=/proxy/https://www.ted.com/talks/kent_larson_brilliant_designs_to_fit_more_people_in_every_city |title=Brilliant designs to fit more people in every city
|last=Larson |first=Kent |date=June 2012 |website=TED |publisher=TED Conferences, LLC |access-date=2024-01-16 |quote=}}</ref> Larson discussed how cities in future can evolve into a high-performance network of 20-minute [[communities]] by deploying design, technology, and [[public policy]] innovation.


'''Living Labs:''' Larson, along with colleagues [[William J. Mitchell]], and [[Alex (Sandy) Pentland]] at the [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]] are credited with first exploring the concept of a [[Living lab|Living Laboratory]]. They argued that a living lab represents a user-centric research methodology for sensing, [[prototyping]], validating and refining complex solutions in multiple and evolving real life contexts. Nowadays, several living lab descriptions and definitions are available from different sources.<ref>Core Labs (2006), http://www.ami-communities.net/wiki/CORELABS {{Webarchive|url=/proxy/https://web.archive.org/web/20060716231548/http://www.ami-communities.net/wiki/CORELABS |date=2006-07-16 }}.</ref><ref>Niitamo, V.-P.; Kulkki, S.; Eriksson, M.; Hribernik, K. A.: State-of-the-art and good practice in the field of living labs, Proceedings of the 12th International Conference on Concurrent Enterprising: Innovative Products and Services through Collaborative Networks, Milan, Italy, 2006, 349-357.</ref><ref>Pallot, M; Trousse, B.; Prinz, W.;Richir, S.; de Ruyter, B.;Rerolle, O.: Katzy, B.;Senach, B.: Living Labs Research. ECOSPACE Special Issue Newsletter 5 dedicated to Living Labs, pages 15–22. http://www.ami-communities.eu/wiki/ECOSPACE_Newsletter_No_5#Living_Labs_Research</ref><ref>Schumacher, J.; Feurstein, K.: Living labs – a new multi-stakeholder approach to user integration, Presented at the 3rd International Conference on Interoperability of Enterprise Systems and Applications (I-ESA'07), Funchal, Madeira, Portugal, 2007.</ref><ref>Kusiak, A., The University of Iowa, "Innovation: The Living Laboratory Perspective", Computer-Aided Design & Applications, Vol. 4, No. 6, 2007, pp 863–876</ref><ref>European Commission Information Society and Media, Unit F4 New Infrastructure Paradigms and Experimental Facilities. Living Labs for user-driven open innovation. An overview of the Living Labs methodology, activities and achievements. January 2009.</ref> Larson and MIT researchers have developed computational tools to understand human behavior in natural environments, including the necessary sensing, interfaces, data collection methods, and visualization capabilities. They have developed prototypical applications that respond to human behavior, with an emphasis on proactive health, energy conservation, and the support of new ways of living and working. This work includes the exploration of data collection and analysis tools to understand the fine-grained attributes of a healthy, high-functioning community or city, and strategies to use this information to inform the design of new communities.{{cn|date=September 2019}}
==Personal life==
==Personal life==
Larson lives in [[Cambridge, Massachusetts]], with his wife, Maria Miller Larson.{{cn|date=September 2019}}
Larson lives in [[Jamaica Plain, Boston]], with his wife, Maria Miller Larson.{{Citation needed | date=February 2022}}


==References==
==References==
Line 18: Line 56:


==External links==
==External links==
* {{TED speaker|kent_larson}}
* {{TED speaker}}
* {{TED talk|kent_larson_brilliant_designs_to_fit_more_people_in_every_city|Kent Larson @ TEDxBoston 2012: Brilliant designs to fit more people in every city}}
** [http://www.ted.com/talks/kent_larson_brilliant_designs_to_fit_more_people_in_every_city Kent Larson: Brilliant designs to fit more people in every city (TEDxBoston 2012)]


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Latest revision as of 04:06, 31 July 2024

Kent Larson is an architect and Professor of the Practice[1] at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Larson is currently director of the City Science[2] research group at the MIT Media Lab, and co-director with Lord Norman Foster of the Norman Foster Institute on Sustainable Cities[3] based in Madrid.[4] His research is focused on urban design, modeling and simulation, compact transformable housing, and ultralight autonomous mobility on demand.[1] He has established an international consortium of City Science Network labs,[5] and is a founder of multiple MIT Media Lab spin-off companies, including Ori Living[6] and L3cities.[7]

Architectural career

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Larson practiced architecture in New York City beginning in 1981[8] with Peter L. Gluck and Partners.[9] He was partner-in-charge of works including "Pavilions and pool at the Ludwig Mies van der Rohe house"[10] in Weston, Connecticut and an addition to Uris Hall[11] of the Columbia Business School at Columbia University in New York City.

Unbuilt Architecture

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In 1993, Larson published "A Virtual Landmark"[12] in Progressive Architecture, using radiosity lighting and material simulation software to create a virtual photographic study of Louis I. Kahn's as-yet unbuilt Hurva Synagogue in Jerusalem. This work was selected by Time (magazine) as a "Best Design of the Year" selection for 1993.[13] Larson expanded this work into the book, Louis I. Kahn: Unbuilt Masterworks,[14] which was selected by The New York Times Book Review as one of "The Ten Best Books in Architecture" for the year 2000.[15]

Academic career

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Larson began research and teaching in 1998[16] at the MIT School of Architecture and Planning. He currently has a joint appointment with the MIT Media Lab and Department of Architecture.[1]

CityHome

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Larson introduced the CityHome concept in 2011,[17] using full-scale home prototypes to test technologies for high-performance, personalized places of living in response to a housing crisis driven by a lack of affordable housing.[18] The CityHome concept makes use of three independently configured layers: a high-performance chassis layer consisting of modular framing (construction) and utility services,[19] an integrated infill layer that makes use of architectural robotics,[20] and a responsive architecture layer that incorporates adaptive facade modules.[21] In 2015 the CityHome research project was spun-off into Ori Living[6] for commercialization in collaboration with designer Yves B�har.[22]

CityScope

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The CityScope[23] project is an open-source platform[24] developed by Larson and his team to combine LEGO bricks in a tangible user interface with augmented reality and real-time simulation to support experts and non-experts in a new decision-making process to make better cities.[25] CityScope applications have been deployed in cities around the world.[26][27][28] In 2016[29] Larson partnered with the city of Hamburg and HafenCity University to use CityScope to bring together the residents of Hamburg, Germany to identify optimal locations to provide housing for a growing number of refugees of the Syrian Civil War.[30] City residents used the CityScope interface to bring their local knowledge into the government's decision-making process in order to reduce social exclusion by locating refugees in proximity to existing communities and social services.[31]

Lightweight Autonomous Mobility

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Upon the 2010 death of William J. Mitchell, former Dean of the MIT School of Architecture and Planning, Larson continued work on the MIT CityCar, developing a full-scale prototype that integrated wheel hub motor technology, drive-by-wire control, front entry and egress, and mechanical folding so that three CityCars can fit in one parallel parking space.[32] Larson's group worked with automotive suppliers in Spain to develop a commercial version of the MIT CityCar called Hiriko: a folding two-passenger vehicle with zero turning radius robot wheels for high maneuverability in urban areas.[33]

Larson's team also developed a shared transport ultra-lightweight, autonomous, three-wheeled electric vehicle, called the "Persuasive Electric Vehicle" or "PEV".[34] The PEV is designed to move both people and goods in cities, using human-robot interaction techniques to communicate awareness, trust, and empathy with pedestrians.[35] Larson has since applied the principles of the PEV to the design of an autonomous electric bicycle[36] that transforms into a self-driving tricycle for on-demand dockless bicycle sharing with fleet rebalancing.[37]

Living Labs

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Larson, along with colleagues William J. Mitchell, and Alex (Sandy) Pentland at MIT, is credited with first exploring the concept of a Living Laboratory for sensor-enabled research on human behavior.[38][39] Living labs represent "a user-centric research methodology for sensing, prototyping, validating and refining complex solutions in multiple and evolving real life contexts."[40]

Larson's living lab research focuses on developing computational tools to understand human behavior in natural environments, such as the PlaceLab,[41] an apartment-scale living environment instrumented with sensing for data collection on applications that respond to human behavior, with an emphasis on proactive health, energy conservation, and the support of new ways of living and working.[42]

Larson and researchers from his MIT lab received 10-Year Impact Awards from the Association for Computing Machinery Ubiquitous and Pervasive computing conferences in 2014 and 2019 for recognition of their work on living labs that, with the test of time, has had the greatest impact on the research community.[43]

The 15-minute City

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Kent Larson was an early proponent of compact, walkable communities, which later became known as the 15-minute city concept for promoting sustainable living and improved quality of life. In a 2012 TED talk,[44] Larson discussed how cities in future can evolve into a high-performance network of 20-minute communities by deploying design, technology, and public policy innovation.

Personal life

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Larson lives in Jamaica Plain, Boston, with his wife, Maria Miller Larson.[citation needed]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c "Kent Larson Overview". MIT Media Lab. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  2. ^ "City Science". MIT Media Lab. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  3. ^ "Norman Foster Institute on Sustainable Cities". NFI. Norman Foster Foundation. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  4. ^ "On Sustainable Cities by Norman Foster Institute". Dezeen. Dezeen Limited. 23 June 2023. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  5. ^ "City Science Network". Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  6. ^ a b "Ori Living". Ori Design Studio. Ori, Inc. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  7. ^ "L3cities". L3cities.com. Larson Living Labs. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  8. ^ "ichim 99 speakers". archimuse.com. Archives & Museum Informatics. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  9. ^ "Open Source Building". Daylight & Architecture. Velux. Spring 2006. Archived from the original on 2006-03-01. Retrieved 2024-01-16. Alt URL
  10. ^ Goldberger, Paul (February 1992). "Architecture: Modifying Mies". Architectural Digest. Condé Nast. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  11. ^ Pressman, Andy (1995). The Fountainheadache: the politics of architect-client relations. New York: Wiley. p. 107. ISBN 9780471309925.
  12. ^ Larson, Kent (September 1993). "A Virtual Landmark". Progressive Architecture. Reinhold. pp. 80–87.
  13. ^ "The Best Design of 1993". Time. New York: Time. January 3, 1994. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  14. ^ Larson, Kent (2000). Louis I. Kahn: Unbuilt Masterworks. New York: Monacelli. ISBN 9781580930147.
  15. ^ Filler, Martin (December 3, 2000). "Editors' Choice: The 10 best books of 2000". New York Times Book Review. New York: The New York Times Company. Archived from the original on 2000-12-03. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  16. ^ "TED Speakers Profile of Kent Larson". ted.com. TED Conferences, LLC. June 2012. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  17. ^ "MIT CityHome". MIT Media Lab. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  18. ^ Randall, Eric (June 6, 2014). "MIT Wants to Furnish Your Tiny Apartment". Boston Magazine. Metro Corp. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  19. ^ Lawrence, Tyson T. (2003). Chassis + infill: A consumer-driven, open source building approach for adaptive, mass customized housing (Master of Science thesis). Massachusetts Institute of Technology. hdl:1721.1/89903. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  20. ^ Larrea-Tamayo, Hasier. (2015). ARkits: Architectural robotics kits (Master of Science thesis). Massachusetts Institute of Technology. hdl:1721.1/98627. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  21. ^ Lonergan, Ronan (2011). The robotic fac̦ade: A design solution for energy conservation in the CityHome of the future (Master of Science thesis). Massachusetts Institute of Technology. hdl:1721.1/68949. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  22. ^ Sheiber, Jonathan (May 31, 2017). "Ori Systems brings the robotic furniture of the future to apartments today". TechCrunch. Yahoo. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  23. ^ "MIT CityScope". MIT Media Lab. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  24. ^ "CityScope GitHub". MIT Media Lab. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  25. ^ Noyman, Ariel (2022). CityScope: An Urban modeling and Simulation Platform (Ph.D. thesis). Massachusetts Institute of Technology. hdl:1721.1/145128. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  26. ^ Alonso, Luis; et al. (2018). "CityScope: A Data-Driven Interactive Simulation Tool for Urban Design. Use Case Volpe". Unifying Themes in Complex Systems IX. Springer Proceedings in Complexity. Vol. 9. pp. 253–261. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-96661-8_27. ISBN 978-3-319-96660-1. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  27. ^ Grignard, Arnaud; et al. (2018). "Cityscope Andorra: a multi-level interactive and tangible agent-based visualization". Proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Autonomous Agents and MultiAgent Systems: 1939–1940. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  28. ^ Grignard, Arnaud; et al. (2020). "CityScope Hanoi: Interactive simulation for water management in the Bac Hung Hai irrigation system". 2020 12th International Conference on Knowledge and Systems Engineering (KSE) (PDF). pp. 153–158. doi:10.1109/KSE50997.2020.9287831. ISBN 978-1-7281-4510-5. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  29. ^ Noyman, Ariel; et al. (2017). "Finding places: HCI platform for public participation in refugees' accommodation process". Procedia Computer Science. 112: 2463–2472. arXiv:1811.10123. doi:10.1016/j.procs.2017.08.180. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  30. ^ Sprandel, Anselm (2018). "Housing and integrating refugees in Hamburg". Field Actions Science Reports (18): 20–25. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  31. ^ "Finding Places". Urban Sustainability Exchange. Metropolis. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  32. ^ "Hiriko electric car folds up to take one-third of a parking spot, pilot program to begin next year". TheVerge. 26 January 2012. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  33. ^ "M.I.T. CityCar, Renamed Hiriko, Is Headed to Production". The New York Times. 25 January 2012. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  34. ^ "Persuasive Electric Vehicle". MIT Media Lab. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  35. ^ "Persuasive Electric Vehicle,2014". Cooper Hewitt Museum. Smithsonian Design Museum. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  36. ^ "Autonomous Bicycle Project". MIT Media Lab. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  37. ^ "The MIT Autonomous Bicycle Is a Regular Bike That Becomes Self-Driving Trike". autoevolution. SoftNews Net S.R.L. 18 August 2020. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  38. ^ Claudel, Matthew (2018). "From organizations to organizational fields: The evolution of civic innovation ecosystems". Technology Innovation Management Review. 8 (6): 34–37. doi:10.22215/timreview/1163. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  39. ^ Ferronato, Priscilla; Mercer, Lisa; Roberts-Smith, Jennifer; Ruecker, Stan (2019). "Living Labs and the DH Centre: Lessons for Each from the Other". KULA: Knowledge Creation, Dissemination, and Preservation Studies. 3 (1): 14. doi:10.5334/kula.46. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  40. ^ Eriksson, M., Niitamo, V. P., & Kulkki, S. (2005). State-of-the-art in utilizing Living Labs approach to user-centric ICT innovation-a European approach. Lulea: Center for Distance-spanning Technology. Lulea University of Technology Sweden: Lulea.
  41. ^ Intille, S. S., Larson, K., Beaudin, J., Tapia, E. M., Kaushik, P., Nawyn, J., & McLeish, T. J. (2005). The PlaceLab: A live-in laboratory for pervasive computing research (video). Proceedings of PERVASIVE 2005 Video Program.
  42. ^ Roberts, Jr., Glenn (December 24, 2004). "PlaceLab studies interaction with home tech". South Coast Today. The Standard-Times. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
  43. ^ Pervasive 10 Year Impact Award
  44. ^ Larson, Kent (June 2012). "Brilliant designs to fit more people in every city". TED. TED Conferences, LLC. Retrieved 2024-01-16.
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