Josef Hargrave, an associate with Arup’s global Foresight + Research + Innovation team, has predicted that the cities of the future will “identify, understand, manage and solve social, environmental and economic shifts and shocks”.

Hargrave outlined his vision at Conscious Cities, a conference organised today (1 March) in London to explore the relationship between neuroscience and architecture.

He imagined a future where sensors embedded throughout cities will be able to do everything from sending us updates warning about traffic jams and available parking spots, to automatically changing our living environments depending on our mood and protecting us from extreme weather.

“It will be a technological revolution that can shape our environment and influence the personality of cities,” he said. "Giving city consciousness allows more people to make conscious decisions themselves during their day to day life."

How can we use consciousness and data to address problems? w/ @josefhargrave @ArupUKMEA #consciouscities pic.twitter.com/zjVbCo33wS
— MuseumofArchitecture (@MoA_News) March 1, 2016