So, moving forward from today’s nightmares to tomorrow’s promises…

The so-called 'great transition' requires that, from energy use to the economic and ecological realms, we flatten, reverse, and radically reconceive the fossil-fuel paradigms we have been relying on for many decades. With the construction-urbanising complex contributing nearly 40 percent of carbon dioxide emissions worldwide, this reversal comprises any form of big-scale, top down urban planning, including the latest shady fashion of logistical urbanisms driven by the algorithm corporations. The often-desired prevalence of community-lead, participatory initiatives seems to announce possible alternatives. Yet, will bottom-up, small scale tactical urbanisms be immune, permeable to or ultimately taken over by the darker lures of digital platforms?

When he contributed the White Fungus short-story to the Beyond collection, science fiction writer Bruce Sterling seemed to think permeability, to say the least, would be inevitable. Even in a deprived, politically disconnected dystopic landscape, if some sort of urban permaculture would arise through the cracks, drones and code would still be taking care of your rooftop cherry tomatoes. From Gill-Scott Heron onwards, soul singers regularly played with the idea that the revolution would not, or, post all the George Floyds, would indeed be televised. This question will soon move on to another level: will the urbanism of degrowth be enacted through the blissful and romantic return of the commons, or will it soon be inevitably driven by smart-ass, well-intended digital startups with an eye on global market dominion?