Resilience as a Key Feature of Smart Cities Supporting Sustainable Urban Development

Rapid urban growth coupled with the rising scale of complex city-level risks require new approaches to sustainable urban development and urban governance. Contemporary cities must not only improve the quality of life of their inhabitants but also ensure long-term stability, safety and sustainable development. In this context, the concepts of the smart city and the resilient city have emerged as pivotal themes in both scholarly discourse and urban governance.. The aim of this article is to analyse the conceptual synergy between these two concepts and to demonstrate that resilience should be considered one of the key features of a smart city and is in compliance with Sustainable Development Goal 11.

The research is based on a leading academic publications concerning smart cities and urban resilience. The analysis focuses on identifying the main assumptions of both concepts and examining their areas of convergence. Based on its findings, a conceptual framework linking smart city development, urban resilience and sustainable urban development is proposed.

The results of the analysis indicate that the smart city and resilient city concepts are complementary rather than competing approaches. Smart city strategies, based on technology, participatory governance and efficient resource management, provide a structural foundation for building urban resilience. At the same time, resilience strengthens the capacity of cities to respond to threats, adapt to changing conditions and maintain essential urban functions. The study concludes that resilience should be seen as an essential feature of smart cities, supporting their sustainable development.