The concept of smart cities offers a revolutionary vision of urban design for sustainability. Utilising the intelligent application of new technologies, smart cities also incorporate considerations of social and environmental capital in order to transform the life and work of cities. This special issue brings together papers from leading international experts on the transition to smart cities. Drawing upon the experiences of cities in the USA, Canada and Europe, the authors describe the definitional components, critical insights and institutional means by which we can achieve truly smart cities. The resulting volume will be of interest to all involved in urban planning, architecture and engineering, as well as all interested in urban sustainability.