Uprzdni

Uprzdni is a fictional term used in design fiction and urban studies to describe a decentralized, participatory urban governance model. In uprzdni, city districts operate as semi-autonomous units that coordinate shared services through interoperable digital platforms, while preserving local decision-making authority.

Key features include autonomous neighborhoods, shared resource pools for energy, transport, and housing, funded by participatory budgeting, and an open data layer with privacy safeguards. Governance relies on rotating councils elected by residents and a coordinating platform that aims to optimize service delivery while maintaining transparency.

While presented as a thought experiment, uprzdni is used to compare centralized municipal models with decentralized approaches, exploring resilience, inclusion, and scalability. Proponents argue it can increase civic engagement and efficiency; critics warn of fragmentation, coordination overhead, and risks of digital exclusion.

Origins and usage: The term emerged in the design-fiction and speculative-urbanism discourse in the late 2010s and early 2020s, and has since appeared in academic articles and policy discussions as a hypothetical model rather than a proposal currently implemented in real cities.

See also: participatory budgeting, municipalism, urban commons.