The smart city (SC) narrative, which is increasingly taking up space in the international literature, is primarily shaped by specific actors, making it clear why it is often seen in the light of a contemporary commercial or branding exercise. At the same time, concerns are raised by the fact that among the main proponents of smart cities are a number of technology giants and private initiatives, probably looking forward to an emerging field with an increased profit margin, but also by the plethora of definitions and criteria available. Despite the variability of parameters found in the literature, culture and heritage, along with the problematisation that usually follows the terms, do not seem to be prioritised among the conditions constituting a 'smart city'. Drawing on previous research highlighting the central role of cultural heritage in planning and urban regeneration strategies, both in Europe and worldwide for more than half a century now, this thesis attempts, on the one hand, to analyse the evolution of the concepts of 'smart' and urban smartness and on the other hand explore the relationship between 'smart cities' and cultural heritage in three Greek SC projects.
Available at
National Documentation Centre (EKT).