3600
Designing Smart Cities
Systems, Data, and Intelligent Urban Services
ProgrammeCUHK Urban Studies
InstructorDr. Tat Lam
Term1 2026-27
TimeMon 09:30-12:15
Course Philosophy
Learning by Making
No advanced programming required. Students engage with AI tools, no-code/low-code platforms, open datasets, and digital workflows to progressively design, develop, and present a smart city system.
Student Agency
Students choose their own urban problem, data sources, and technical approach. The methodology provides structure; the creativity is yours.
Workflow Thinking
Every project is a workflow: problem → data → system → AI → value. Students learn to think in systems, not just tools.
Skill Ecosystem
Final deliverable is a reusable Skill document that can be installed on any Agent. Your project becomes a building block for others.
How This Site Works
Two Platforms, One Journey
This Website
Tutorial + Resources. Step-by-step guides teach you how to build your workflow on Coze Coding. Downloadable resources (RAG files, Skill templates) are here.
Coze Coding Platform
Workflow Execution. This is where you drag nodes, connect them, run your workflow, and generate project outputs. Create your account in Week 1.
Start Tutorial →
13-Week Schedule
Your Journey
01
Smart City Foundations
Lecture + Workshop
02
BIM Fundamentals
Workshop
03
Digital Twins
Workshop
04
Open Data & APIs
Workshop
05
Data Workflows
Workshop
06
IoT & Sensing
Workshop
07
Review / Buffer
Self-Paced
08
AI Agents & RAG
Workshop
09
Midterm Presentation
Presentation
10
Social Innovation
Workshop
11
Prototype Workshop
Workshop
12
Project Refinement
Self-Paced
13
Final Presentation
Presentation
Methodology Toolkit
6 Nodes, Infinite Combinations
Node 01 — Week 1-2
Problem Framer
Transform urban observations into structured problem statements with user profiles and measurable impact.
Node 02 — Week 4-6
Data Stack Designer
Discover Hong Kong government open data sources. Design your data architecture from collection to insight.
Node 03 — Week 4-6
System Architect
Design 4-layer smart city system architecture. Assess intelligence across 5 dimensions.
Node 04 — Week 8
AI Composer
Configure AI capabilities for your system. Generate deployable Agent configurations.
Node 05 — Week 10-11
Value Canvas
Evaluate public, institutional, and commercial value. Assess feasibility and risks.
Node 06 — Week 12-13
Skill Generator
Package your complete project into a reusable Skill document. Install on any Agent.
Assessment Structure
How You're Graded
10%
Class Participation
Weekly workshop attendance + tool usage records
20%
Midterm Presentation
Week 9: Problem definition + data sources + system architecture
50%
Final Project
Week 13: Complete Skill document + workflow demonstration
20%
Reflection Paper
1000-1500 words on tool usage experience and learning