Towards Sustainable Human‐Centred Smart Cities—Design Framework and Case Studies for Hong Kong and Riyadh

This paper presents a hybrid human‐centred sustainable smart city framework that integrates three key dimensions: Sustainability, Health & Wellbeing and Technologies. The proposed framework uses a hybrid index to evaluate smart city performance across these dimensions, applying a quantitative methodology based on min–max normalisation. By conducting an in‐depth comparative analysis of smart city initiatives in Hong Kong and Riyadh, the study illustrates the adaptability of the hybrid framework in distinct urban contexts. Hong Kong’s efforts in integrating (Internet of Things) IoT‐based monitoring systems, digital health platforms, and active transportation highlight the focus on health and wellbeing in space‐constrained urban environments. In contrast, Saudi Vision 2030 emphasises renewable energy deployment, large‐scale smart infrastructure projects, and sustainability measures in Riyadh. Despite the differences in economic and regulatory environments, both cities demonstrate the effectiveness of embedding human‐centred principles in urban development. The findings underscore that a balanced integration of technology, sustainability and wellbeing is essential for building resilient, inclusive, and sustainable smart cities, serving as a model for future urban development globally.