Lift in Asia 2009: Sessions

Online services have revolutionized the way stories are spreading across the planet. What we see is a radical new way to reach and involve millions of people who do not simply want to "consume" content, but also have opinions and feelings they express and share in real time.

What does that mean for those who have a message to pass? How to build a story and maximize its impact? What level of openness is right when it comes to user generated content? Is it ethical for journalists to share information as stories to attract more readers?

Online communities and social networks have been around for a while, and we start to have a pretty good sense of the opportunities and issues they create. Beyond collecting a maximum number of friends, social networks are where big companies try to advertise and control their brands, where a picture can make or break a career, where users increasingly broadcast rather than socialize.

What are the new models emerging? Are we forced to participate? How to deal with a world whose rules are still being written?

Ubiquitous technologies are creating many possibilities and challenges for architects. First used by artists, augmented reality, sensors networks, 3D screens or leds are changing our experience of our physical environment.

How can our buildings integrate the devices we carry with us? Will that make our houses smarter or dumber? How are the buildings of the future interacting with their inhabitants?