FROM ANCIENT STREETS TO CONNECTED CITIES: ANALYZING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SMART INITIATIVES IN ROMANIA

Technological implementation and innovation represent essential pillars of contemporary society and are fundamental to its progress and evolution. In the urban development field, the concept of "smart city" rethinks the way of planning and managing cities by integrating emergent digital technologies that bring improvements in citizens’ way of life, while also increasing their efficiency, sustainability, and resilience. This paper aims to review a brief history of cities from ancient times until today, and the significant developments that determined the need for smart approach integration. For recent period, international and national trends and initiatives that impact smart city developments in Romania will be investigated. In addition, the innovative solutions promoted at the level of public administration will be highlighted by following the strategies and implementations in the phase of pilot projects, started or already used as prototypes, and private initiatives, as well as the impact of these smart approaches. For this purpose, an exploratory analysis is used at the level of multiple sources—town halls, county councils, various publications, specialized articles, magazines, companies, and non-governmental associations—following the mode in which the projects are framed on the thematics globally applied—people, economy, environment, governance, living, and mobility. Following the study, 1001 smart projects at the public level were identified in recent statistics, carried out by small, medium, and large cities in different stages of implementation. In addition, up-to-date private initiatives that led to urban transformation through the implementation of innovative solutions were pursued.