In the contemporary city, the physical infrastructure and sensorial experiences of two millennia are now inter-woven within an invisible digital matrix. This matrix alters human perceptions of the city, informs our behaviour and increasingly influences the urban designs we ultimately inhabit. Digital Futures and the City of Today cuts through these issues to analyse the work of architects, designers, media specialists and a growing number of community activists, laying out a multi-faceted view of the complex integrated phenomenon of the contemporary city. Split into three sections, the book interrogates the concept of the ''smart'' city, examines innovative digital projects from around the world, documents experimental visions for the future, and describes projects that engage local communities in the design process.