A modern city is a city that is able to support a large population concentrated in a limited space. In order for a modern city to function well, it needs several elements.
A well-functioning modern city should have a working local government and bureaucracy. Without this, the ability to make decisions based on the public good and to carry out these decisions would be hampered.
Transportation in a modern city is also crucial. People need to be able to get to jobs, markets, educational centers, and leisure activities with relative ease. This is important in order to have a functioning local economy. Modern cities should have efficient forms of both public and private transportation in order to facilitate this.
Most modern cities are centered around a business district. This is the place where many people go to work and it is the economic driver of the city. This is usually where the city government and major cultural institutions are also found. A central district like this is essential for providing the city with its identity.
A modern city also needs public spaces. Parks, libraries, and plazas are some of the ways that a city can get its residents to openly interact with each other and the services that the city provides. It has been shown in several case studies that inviting public spaces help maintain a sense of community and connection to the urban environment of the city. They also help improve the overall health and wellness of the population.
Of course, public services are also an important part of a modern city. Trash collection, water and sewage treatment, and a well-maintained electrical grid are some of the important parts of maintaining the functions of a healthy modern city.
One major indicator of what might be called a "modern" city would have to include progressive environmental issues. Things like energy conservation and sustainability have to be part of the new technologies and policies of a modern city.
It's a little unclear in what context the word "modern" is being used. Ancient cities like Tenochtitlan and Baghdad might not be considered modern in some senses, but they contained irrigation systems and aqueducts and fairly well developed city planning for the time, along with complex feats of engineering and construction. I believe these are good examples of what we would call "modern" elements of cities of that day.
Cities in the modern day centuries have been able to support larger populations, even though most of their food and energy comes from outside the cities themselves. So transportation that is efficient and ties it to other cities and resources is one hallmark of a modern city.
In addition, mass transit is common in most modern cities like New York, Moscow, Tokyo and Paris. Cities have also always been the collection point for music and art, and this was also true in the ancient world. This point held true for finance and banking, and centers of trade and industry, which thrive more naturally in modern cities.
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