Human smart cities: A new vision for redesigning urban community and citizen's life

The Smart City is by now a model for the application of Future Internet services and infrastructure towards radical improvements of urban services in terms of efficiency and sustainability. In recent experiences in this area, however, a new vision is emerging that enriches the original concept with the human perspective, as gained through the application of citizen-centric and participatory approaches to the co-design and development of Smart City services. Indeed, it is becoming clear that “smartness” alone—sensors, metres, infrastructures—risks placing the citizen outside of the process, as a user who never takes the kind of ownership of the services that can only be ensured by engagement in their co-design from the very start. This paper explores the emergent model for Human Smart Cities, its methodological components, and the “softer” features of “smartness”—such as clarity of vision, citizen empowerment, participation, etc.—which can complement the technological drive of the underlying urban infrastructure. Conclusions are set out in terms of implications and potential for EU policy renewal in the context of Europe 2020.