A Historical View of Smart Cities: Definitions, Features and Tipping Points

Abstract

This paper explains the evolution of the smart city concept (1987–2020) and highlights key historical events that have affected the emergence and development of smart cities (1880–2010) through a literature review. This paper also aims to answer several questions: What are the definitions and common elements of the concepts of smart cities? What characterizes or differentiates smart cities from other cities and what are the models of governance of smart cities? Which concepts preceded the notion of smart cities? And what events influenced the emergence and development of smart cities from an historic perspective?

Keywords: smart city, definitions, features, governance, history, literature review