Spatial disruption and planning implication of the sharing economy: a study of smart work in Canberra, Australia

The advancement of the digital technology and the rise of the knowledge economy have facilitated a growing practice of smart work – working anywhere and anytime. This study approaches smart work as a form of the sharing economy, with a central concern on its spatial disruption to inform planning implication, based on a case study of Canberra, Australia. The analysis combines spatial clustering of smart workers at small community level with the practice and perception of smart work. The results suggest an emerging spatial disruption of smart work on both land use and space use, which implies a need for some new planning thinking for urban-suburban relationship, infrastructure provision, localised economic development, and spatial reconfiguration for communities and spaces. This study also suggests a cautious and critical approach to sustainability aspirations, which have in part elevated the recent enthusiasm in smart work and the broader sharing economy.