Nicos Komninos – författare

Internet and World Wide Web platforms, big data analytics, software, social media and civic technologies allow for the creation of smart ecosystems in which connected intelligence emerges and disruptive social and eco-innovation flourishes.

This book focuses on three grand challenges that matter for any territory, no matter where it is located: (i) smart growth, a path that more and more cities, regions and countries are adopting having realised the unlimited potential of growth that is based on knowledge, innovation and digital technologies; (ii) safety and security, which is a pre-requisite for quality of life in a world of intense social, natural and technological threats; and (iii) sustainability, use of renewable energy, protection of living ecosystems, addressing climate change and global warming in a period of rapid urbanisation that makes established sustainability models and planning patterns quickly obsolete.

The core argument of the book is that problem-solving and novel solutions to these grand challenges emerge in smart ecosystems through connected intelligence. It is the broadest form of intelligence that combines capabilities from heterogeneous actors (humans, organisations, machines) and propel problem-solving through externalities and resource agglomeration, user engagement and collaboration, awareness and behaviour change. This book will be of interest to students and researchers of urban and regional studies, innovation studies, economic geography and urban planning, as well as urban policy makers.

Internet and World Wide Web platforms, big data analytics, software, social media and civic technologies allow for the creation of smart ecosystems in which connected intelligence emerges and disruptive social and eco-innovation flourishes.

This book focuses on three grand challenges that matter for any territory, no matter where it is located: (i) smart growth, a path that more and more cities, regions and countries are adopting having realised the unlimited potential of growth that is based on knowledge, innovation and digital technologies; (ii) safety and security, which is a pre-requisite for quality of life in a world of intense social, natural and technological threats; and (iii) sustainability, use of renewable energy, protection of living ecosystems, addressing climate change and global warming in a period of rapid urbanisation that makes established sustainability models and planning patterns quickly obsolete.

The core argument of the book is that problem-solving and novel solutions to these grand challenges emerge in smart ecosystems through connected intelligence. It is the broadest form of intelligence that combines capabilities from heterogeneous actors (humans, organisations, machines) and propel problem-solving through externalities and resource agglomeration, user engagement and collaboration, awareness and behaviour change. This book will be of interest to students and researchers of urban and regional studies, innovation studies, economic geography and urban planning, as well as urban policy makers.

There is growing global interest in understanding how digital technologies, institutional and physical spaces, particularly within the framework of digital and green agendas, can transform cities, influence behaviour, and stimulate innovation. This book advances a novel and interdisciplinary framework for understanding intelligent environments, grounded in the concept of connected intelligence, the integration of human, collective, and machine intelligence.

It explores how this integration operates within real-world smart ecosystems to drive transformative innovations in sustainable development, carbon neutrality, urban efficiency, and liveability. Departing from approaches that treat intelligent systems as purely technological constructs, such as urban artificial intelligence (AI), cyber-physical infrastructure, digital twins, and machine learning vision, it reframes intelligent environments as socio-technical systems that remain fundamentally human-centric, even in the age of AI. It distinguishes itself from existing smart city literature, which often isolates digital technologies and IoT infrastructures for cities, by offering a comprehensive investigation of smart ecosystems as digital-institutional-physical (DIP) spaces; an analysis of real-world environments where connected intelligence is enacted, including industrial sectors evolving into smart-green ecosystems, platform services augmented by generative AI, carbon-neutral residential districts; and the development of a universal architecture of connected intelligence, applicable across diverse ecosystems.

By bridging theory and practice and integrating technological, institutional, and territorial perspectives, the book introduces a conceptual and practical lens to understand how smart ecosystems enable ongoing transformative innovations that are reshaping the near future of cities and regions. It offers insights into evolving intelligent environments and will serve as a valuable reference for researchers and students of innovation systems, smart cities, urban development and planning, transportation and environmental planning, governance, digital systems, and engineering.

There is growing global interest in understanding how digital technologies, institutional and physical spaces, particularly within the framework of digital and green agendas, can transform cities, influence behaviour, and stimulate innovation. This book advances a novel and interdisciplinary framework for understanding intelligent environments, grounded in the concept of connected intelligence, the integration of human, collective, and machine intelligence.

It explores how this integration operates within real-world smart ecosystems to drive transformative innovations in sustainable development, carbon neutrality, urban efficiency, and liveability. Departing from approaches that treat intelligent systems as purely technological constructs, such as urban artificial intelligence (AI), cyber-physical infrastructure, digital twins, and machine learning vision, it reframes intelligent environments as socio-technical systems that remain fundamentally human-centric, even in the age of AI. It distinguishes itself from existing smart city literature, which often isolates digital technologies and IoT infrastructures for cities, by offering a comprehensive investigation of smart ecosystems as digital-institutional-physical (DIP) spaces; an analysis of real-world environments where connected intelligence is enacted, including industrial sectors evolving into smart-green ecosystems, platform services augmented by generative AI, carbon-neutral residential districts; and the development of a universal architecture of connected intelligence, applicable across diverse ecosystems.

By bridging theory and practice and integrating technological, institutional, and territorial perspectives, the book introduces a conceptual and practical lens to understand how smart ecosystems enable ongoing transformative innovations that are reshaping the near future of cities and regions. It offers insights into evolving intelligent environments and will serve as a valuable reference for researchers and students of innovation systems, smart cities, urban development and planning, transportation and environmental planning, governance, digital systems, and engineering.

At the turn of the century some cities and regions in Europe, Japan and the USA, displayed an exceptional capacity to incubate and develop new knowledge and innovations. The favourable environment for research, technology and innovation created in these areas was not immediately obvious, yet it was of great significance for a development based on knowledge, learning, and innovation. Intelligent Cities focuses on these environments of innovation, and the major models (technopoles, innovating regions, intelligent cities) for creating an environment-supporting technology, innovation, learning, and knowledge-based development.The introduction and the first chapter deal with innovation as an environmental condition, and with the geography and typology of islands of innovation. The next three parts focus on the theoretical paradigms and the planning models of the ''industrial district'', the innovating region'', and the ''intelligent city'', which offer three alternative ways to create an environment of innovation.

At the turn of the century some cities and regions in Europe, Japan and the USA, displayed an exceptional capacity to incubate and develop new knowledge and innovations. The favourable environment for research, technology and innovation created in these areas was not immediately obvious, yet it was of great significance for a development based on knowledge, learning, and innovation. Intelligent Cities focuses on these environments of innovation, and the major models (technopoles, innovating regions, intelligent cities) for creating an environment-supporting technology, innovation, learning, and knowledge-based development.The introduction and the first chapter deal with innovation as an environmental condition, and with the geography and typology of islands of innovation. The next three parts focus on the theoretical paradigms and the planning models of the ''industrial district'', the innovating region'', and the ''intelligent city'', which offer three alternative ways to create an environment of innovation.

This book concludes a trilogy that began with Intelligent Cities: Innovation, Knowledge Systems and digital spaces (Routledge 2002) and Intelligent Cities and Globalisation of Innovation Networks (Routledge 2008). Together these books examine intelligent cities as environments of innovation and collaborative problem-solving. In this final book, the focus is on planning, strategy and governance of intelligent cities.

Divided into three parts, each section elaborates upon complementary aspects of intelligent city strategy and planning. Part I is about the drivers and architectures of the spatial intelligence of cities, while Part II turns to planning processes and discusses top-down and bottom-up planning for intelligent cities. Cities such as Amsterdam, Manchester, Stockholm and Helsinki are examples of cities that have used bottom-up planning through the gradual implementation of successive initiatives for regeneration. On the other hand, Living PlanIT, Neapolis in Cyprus, and Saudi Arabia intelligent cities have started with the top-down approach, setting up urban operating systems and common central platforms. Part III focuses on intelligent city strategies; how cities should manage the drivers of spatial intelligence, create smart environments, mobilise communities, and offer new solutions to address city problems.

Main findings of the book are related to a series of models which capture fundamental aspects of intelligent cities making and operation. These models consider structure, function, planning, strategies toward intelligent environments and a model of governance based on mobilisation of communities, knowledge architectures, and innovation cycles.

This book concludes a trilogy that began with Intelligent Cities: Innovation, Knowledge Systems and digital spaces (Routledge 2002) and Intelligent Cities and Globalisation of Innovation Networks (Routledge 2008). Together these books examine intelligent cities as environments of innovation and collaborative problem-solving. In this final book, the focus is on planning, strategy and governance of intelligent cities.

Divided into three parts, each section elaborates upon complementary aspects of intelligent city strategy and planning. Part I is about the drivers and architectures of the spatial intelligence of cities, while Part II turns to planning processes and discusses top-down and bottom-up planning for intelligent cities. Cities such as Amsterdam, Manchester, Stockholm and Helsinki are examples of cities that have used bottom-up planning through the gradual implementation of successive initiatives for regeneration. On the other hand, Living PlanIT, Neapolis in Cyprus, and Saudi Arabia intelligent cities have started with the top-down approach, setting up urban operating systems and common central platforms. Part III focuses on intelligent city strategies; how cities should manage the drivers of spatial intelligence, create smart environments, mobilise communities, and offer new solutions to address city problems.

Main findings of the book are related to a series of models which capture fundamental aspects of intelligent cities making and operation. These models consider structure, function, planning, strategies toward intelligent environments and a model of governance based on mobilisation of communities, knowledge architectures, and innovation cycles.