Smart cities and their connection with spatial planning

Abstract

The present paper aims to identify the relation between smart cities and spatial planning, both at the strategic level of planning, and at the level of urban policy (referring to intervention in space through physical planning). This is achieved by means of purposefully selected and documented observations, which highlight the ways that smart cities can improve specific areas of intervention, and therefore contribute to the development of integrated approaches to spatial planning. Initially the concept of smart cities is analysed, followed by the reasons why spatial planning should be associated with smart cities as well as the latest research in their point of convergence. The field research is focused on targeted case studies of cities that make a concentrated effort to become smart (Singapore, Thessaloniki, Vienna, Stockholm, Barcelona and Amsterdam). For each one of them we analyse the connection between the smart city and spatial planning, identifying their contribution to the different levels of planning. What follows is a comparative analysis of the research findings and a presentation of two new models, representative of the spatial dimensions of the smart city.