The Architectural Building Blocks of Innovation: a comprehensive metric for developing innovative spaces

Innovation is a global hot topic. Conceptually, policymakers, stakeholders, and researchers with a variety of backgrounds need to understand what innovation is? Moreover, how it can flourish? Architects and urban planner work on interpreting innovation in a planned manner with time and space limitation. This research is trying to fill the gaps between strategy bases studies and practical aspects of designing, organizing and sustaining innovative spaces within four different scales: city, district, building and single space. Thus, this research covers four parts: Firstly, the literature reviews for a broad spectrum of innovation-interrelated topics. Secondly, a study for the deeper understanding of innovation as a process through mapping it through time and space.Thirdly, demonstrates the outcomes of a survey was conducted to define the characteristics of innovative space. Finally, part four is summing up a matrix of indicators to be used as design checklist or measurement tool for the impact of innovation areas and Science Parks on their surrounding communities.