Brownfield vs. Greenfield cities: the role of innovation

Many studies have affirmed the pivotal role played by innovation within the development of smart initiatives starting from the model of the triple helix up to the quintuple helix. The analysis of smart cities projects through these models has led to the development of three different meaning of innovation: technological, environmental, and social innovation. These perspectives can be recognized both in projects of existing cities, also called brownfield cities, and in the cases of new urban areas, namely greenfield cities. In this paper we have examined the elements of smart innovation in order to delineate the diversities between these two smart city models, in particular through the comparison with the different types of innovation implemented and the stakeholders involved. In detail we have analysed six cases of smart cities, selected in accord with the development models – greenfield and brownfield – and the forces that drive the process – public, private and public-private partnership.