The layers of the smart city

The aim of this article is to pick up the thread of the scientific conversation around “smart cities”, based upon the case study of Bristol (UK) and its digital policies. This article uses this case as a parable, i.e. the story of a spatialized trajectory we consider to be relatively typical because its key elements can be found in the histories of other major cities’ digital policies. Specifically, we identify three ‘layers’ that have fed into urban digital policies over time and today often coexist within urban agendas. These layers bring into play objectives and networks of players who have relationships that are both competitive and complementary. Ultimately, the article highlights the fundamentally experimental and contested nature of digital urban policies.