Localising the Global: “Creole Platforms” and the Reimagining of Urban Digital Landscapes
- University of Technology Sydney
Published in Proceedings of the International Conference on Smart and Sustainable Built Environment (SASBE 2024), edited by Ali GhaffarianHoseini, Amirhosein GhaffarianHoseini, Farzad Rahimian and Mahesh Babu Purushothaman. Springer Nature, Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering, volume 591, 2025, pages 1159 to 1171. DOI 10.1007/978-981-96-4051-5_111.
Abstract
This study investigates the emergence of “Creole platforms” in Bogotá, Colombia, as innovative, community-driven adaptations of global platform technologies. Employing a qualitative methodology incorporating visual analysis and content analysis of digital and social media platforms, the research explores how these localised platforms challenge standard models of platform urbanism. The study focuses on the case of Drivers Club Bogotá (DCB), a ride-hailing service that exemplifies the Creole platform concept.Results reveal that Creole platforms like DCB repurpose global technologies to align with local socio-economic conditions, emphasising cash payments, decentralised governance, and community support networks. The platforms demonstrate the ability to adapt algorithmic tools, such as pricing and dispatch systems, to serve community-specific objectives. This adaptation process highlights the importance of local knowledge, practices, and social networks in shaping digital infrastructures.The research contributes to the field of platform urbanism by introducing the concept of Creole platforms and providing a framework for their development and implementation. This framework emphasises community needs assessment, technology adaptation, capacity building, collaborative design, sustainable governance models, policy support, and continuous evaluation. The study challenges data-centric approaches prevalent in the Global North, advocating for a more nuanced understanding of platform urbanism that recognises the diversity and complexity of urban life in the Global South.By illuminating these alternative pathways of digital and urban evolution, the research offers valuable insights for urban policymakers, technology developers, and planners seeking to create more inclusive and context-sensitive digital economies in cities worldwide.
Keywords
Session
Presented in Track E, Friday 8 November 2024, 16:30 to 18:30, room WA 224 A, Auckland University of Technology. Session chair Dr Esther Aigwi.
How to Cite
Lozano-Paredes, L. H. (2025). Localising the Global: “Creole Platforms” and the Reimagining of Urban Digital Landscapes. In A. GhaffarianHoseini, A. GhaffarianHoseini, F. Rahimian, & M. B. Purushothaman (Eds.), Proceedings of the International Conference on Smart and Sustainable Built Environment (SASBE 2024) (Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering, Vol. 591, pp. 1159–1171). Springer Nature Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-96-4051-5_111
About the Conference
Presented at SASBE 2024, the International Conference on Smart and Sustainable Built Environment, held in Auckland from 7 to 9 November 2024 and chaired by Professors Ali and Amirhosein GhaffarianHoseini, founders of GDI Academy. The version of record is published by Springer Nature; this page is the conference archive record kept by GDI Academy.