Smart Urban Planning: Digital Technologies for Spatial Design
A special issue of Land (ISSN 2073-445X). This special issue belongs to the section "Land Planning and Landscape Architecture".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 3 February 2026 | Viewed by 114
Special Issue Editors
Interests: spaital modeling; landscape planning; evidence-based design; decision-making
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: urban informatics; planning support systems; transportation modeling; environmental modeling
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: planning support systems; climate change; land use modeling
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Contemporary cities are facing multifaceted challenges—ranging from rapid urbanization and climate change to social equity and resource efficiency—that necessitate forward-thinking and data-driven planning approaches. Digital technologies have emerged as vital instruments for addressing these urban complexities, and smart technologies and frameworks, such as Planning Support Science, have become central to bridging cutting-edge innovations with evidence-based decision-making for spatial design. Leveraging methods including geospatial analysis, artificial intelligence, and interactive planning tools positions researchers and practitioners to create more resilient and sustainable built environments.
This Special Issue seeks original research, conceptual frameworks, review articles, and case studies that delve into the synthesis of spatial design and digital technology for smart urban planning and landscape architecture. Contributions will highlight how emerging digital frameworks inform policymaking, optimize spatial configurations, and foster inclusive decision-making in planning. The goal is to establish a robust body of evidence-based approaches that guide planners, designers, and researchers in harnessing innovations for long-term urban vitality in urban planning, landscape architecture, geography, and related fields. Papers that focuses on one or more of the following topics, or similar topics, are welcome to be considered for our Special Issue:
- Planning Support Systems/Science and their applications in urban and environmental contexts;
- Data-driven approaches for land use optimization and urban analytics;
- Integration of AI, machine learning, and geospatial technologies in planning;
- Socio-technical considerations of digital interventions;
- Participatory platforms and engagement for inclusive urban and landscape design;
- Resilient and adaptive strategies for climate change mitigation and adaptation;
- Interdisciplinary methodologies for holistic urban problem-solving.
Dr. Yoonshin Kwak
Dr. Si Chen
Prof. Dr. Brian Deal
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Land is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- smart city and smart landscape
- evidence-based design
- AI-driven planning
- planning support system
- climate change and urbanization
- decision-making
- urban and environmental analysis
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