These 3 Smart Cities Under Construction Will Shape the Future of Urban Development

A Smart City is an urban settlement that uses technology to solve problems and optimize urban life. The idea behind it can be realized in two different ways: Some cities, like Singapore or Dubai, are working to become “Smart Cities” through infrastructural updates and investments. In addition, there is a new category of young, emerging cities that are “smart” from the very beginning.

According to a report by Navigant Research, the global market for solutions and services in the field of Smart Cities will reach almost USD 98 billion in 2026. The stable growth of Smart Cities continues despite the difficult conditions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Since 2021, there have been 565 Smart City projects in 325 different cities worldwide. These showcase unique solutions in initiatives in the areas of administration and energy supply, followed by those in the areas of transport, building management, and water supply.

Below you will find some of the most ambitious Smart City projects currently being realized. Once they become part of the global urban ecosystem, they have the potential to influence and shape trends in urban development worldwide over the coming decades.

Woven City (Japan)

Located at the foot of Mount Fuji, Toyota is planning with Woven City a fully connected ecosystem that uses hydrogen-powered fuel cells. With designs by acclaimed Danish architect Bjarke Ingels, the Japanese car company will transform the 175-hectare site of a former car factory in Japan into a “prototype city of the future.”

There will be three different types of streets in the city, which is planned for 2,000 residents: for pedestrians, for slower vehicles such as bicycles and scooters, and for autonomous, faster vehicles—hence the name “Woven City,” which translates as “interwoven city.” In addition, underground roads for goods transport with autonomous delivery vehicles are planned.

Woven City will be a human-centered and constantly evolving, living laboratory in which quality of life is enhanced by autonomous vehicles, artificial intelligence, smart home technology, robotics, and novel mobility products.

Construction began in February 2021.

The Line (Saudi Arabia)

The Line, a 170 km long strip of walkable zero-energy settlements for one million people, will be the centerpiece of Neom, Saudi Arabia’s 500-billion-dollar project aimed at liberalizing and reshaping urban life.

The smart city will consist of connected communities—the so-called “city modules”—which will allow the mega-settlement to do without cars and conventional roads. The innovative design envisions that residents can reach everything on foot within five minutes—whether home, supermarket, workplace, or the great outdoors.

While pedestrian-friendliness will be a key feature of “The Line,” ultra-fast and autonomous mobility solutions are intended to ensure that the longest journey between the endpoints of the entire city will take no more than 20 minutes.

The hyper-connected and AI-enabled city modules of “The Line” will be fully powered by clean energy.

Construction of the project began in early 2021 as part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.

ReGen Villages (worldwide)

ReGen Villages, also known as the “Tesla among eco-villages,” is a global project aiming to build smart and sustainable cities outside metropolitan areas. By using AI at the community level, this system enables the development of comparatively self-sufficient communities worldwide.

The size of a ReGen Village is about 250,000 square meters. The first of its kind is currently being built in Sweden in collaboration with the architecture firm White Arkitekter. The mini-city will feature high-yield organic food production, locally generated and stored energy, comprehensive recycling, and climate-friendly buildings.

The startup has not yet finalized its plans for building further model communities in Europe, the USA, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). However, it could be perfectly positioned to meet the demand for a sustainable lifestyle outside major cities after the COVID-19 pandemic.