Towards more socially inclusive smart sustainable cities: A study of smart city districts in Greater Copenhagen region

Abstract: Today world’s cities are in a state of flux exhibiting complex dynamics and at the core of sustainability challenges including climate change and urbanization. At the same time cities have been acknowledged as agents of change when it comes to addressing these challenges. The urgency to address these problems has triggered cities to find smarter and innovative ways to deal with these challenges. Cities are committing themselves to smart city objectives and national governments are encouraging cities to become centers for innovation as well as drivers for sustainable growth. Smart city districts are emerging as a new form of urban living with smart solutions, technologies, products and services to address these sustainability challenges and enhance quality of life in cities. This thesis follows case study approach to explore how these emerging smart city districts are designed and governed by municipalities as smart endowments and activities of self-decisive, independent and aware citizens within Greater Copenhagen region. Focus is made on how the smart city districts are governed to catalyze co-creation and enhance social inclusion in their planning and development. Analytical models, the democracy cube and participation stairway are used to determine the potential and limits for citizen participation. The participation and engagement of citizens in form of collaborative or communicative planning forms the central focus of planning and development in the case studies investigated in this thesis. Information, consultation and dialogue form the main channels for citizen engagement in the planning process. The activities that enhance inclusive, innovative and reflective societies are seen to be a prerequisite for achieving sustainable social integration. Involvement of citizens in both planning and decision making hastens their relationships with city authorities and the opportunities for which they can further influence decisions. However, aspects of social inclusion are multi-dimensional and still remain a challenge since the cases under study are emerging from green fields. The realization of multi-channeled inclusionary approaches can act a medium for reaching a broader range of demographics and opinions.