Smart City Practices: The Case of Songdo and the India Smart Cities Mission

Abstract

Technological innovations are key drivers of the 21st century; the 4th industrial revolution is fundamentally changing our way of life in the very near future. The concept of ‘smart city’ is something that cannot be avoided either – urban planners and urban management professionals have to deal with it. In my argument it is a prerequisite in the future of urban planning. Therefore, the most important question in this respect is how we can manage this issue (i.e. the introduction of smart solutions in urban spaces and services) consciously, in close co-operation with other actors. The first part of the article shows the challenges raising through the application of smart city solutions: the exact definition of the concept, the sectoral distinctions in its understanding, the different planning approaches of smart cities, and the socio–economic tensions emerged by smart city developments. The second part of the article shows with examples how the smart city concept works in practice, through the case of the South Korean town, Songdo, and the Smart City Programme of India.