Giving Compass' Take:

• From building raincoats to underground delivery systems and dynamic pavement, the waterfront neighborhood of Quayside in Toronto could soon be a vision of what future cities look like.

• Urban planners and policymakers in the U.S. would do well to take a close look at the innovations described here. How might they lead the way for a more sustainable infrastructure?

• Here's why cities should consider a chief digital officer.

Since Toronto officials announced Sidewalk Labs as its official partner for a "digital city" venture in October 2017, teams at the Alphabet-led company and Waterfront Toronto have joined creative forces to conceptualize an aesthetically appealing and efficient, people-first community: Quayside.

​At a roundtable discussion on Aug. 14-15, leaders from both organizations — a collaborative entity known as "Sidewalk Toronto" — took the stage to give stakeholders and glimpse at the proposed design concepts that Quayside could encompass once it's completed. Jesse Shapins, director of Public Realm at Sidewalk Labs, explained it as designing a "living room, not a formal room," which is evident in its renderings.

The Sidewalk Toronto team has a long way to go before Quayside is a reality. "This work is really complicated," said Aaron Barter, an urban planner at Sidewalk Labs. Yet the Master Innovation and Development Plan (MIDP) is slated for completion in less than a year, and so far, it's shaping up as an impressive project.

Read the full article about futuristic designs from Sidewalk Toronto by Kristin Musulin at smartcitiesdive.com.