Architecture studio Partisans has unveiled plans to transform a Canadian town into a smart community, combining fibre optics, autonomous vehicles and drone ports within a rural setting.
The Toronto firm has developed the proposal for Innisfil, Canada, a primarily agrarian and residential town 60 kilometres north of Toronto.
Called The Orbit, the proposal aims to develop it into "the city of the future" with a host of new technologies, while also maintaining the existing agriculture and lush setting.

"The Orbit is our vision for a complete, cutting-edge community where small town and rural lifestyles are enhanced by the benefits and attributes of urban living," said Partisans.
Advancements will include the introduction of a network of fibre optics ? cables that transfer information quickly using optical technology ? which will be used to provide connectivity across the development such as sidewalks, streets and buildings. Drone ports and infrastructure for driverless cars among possibilities
The data collected from the system will then be governed by the appropriate privacy protection policies, according to the firm.
The project, which will span over 450 acres (182 hectares), marks the latest development for Innisfil. Partisans said the area is "renowned for thinking big," noting that it currently accepts cryptocurrency payments for municipal taxes and fees, and was among the first places to pilot the Uber ride-sharing app.

"The type of ...