WTF for Cities? is a platform to introduce and connect people who are actively and consciously working on the future of cities and to introduce research about the future of cities.
"We do have solutions already today. We do see already what works today. We do know what is causing the problem. We do have it all."Are you interested in liveable cities designed for everyone? What do you think about having conversations about the future of cities with strangers? How can we design the future of our cities with everyone in mind? Interview with Laura Reupke, CEO of BABLE. We will talk about her vision for the future of cities, the superblock model, 15-minute cities, bottom-up initiatives, and many more. Laura Reupke is CEO of BABLE, leading a mission-driven company that empowers cities worldwide to thrive in the digital era while tackling urgent sustainability challenges. With experience from McKinsey strategy consulting and ioki's sustainable mobility solutions across Europe, she champions smarter, greener, and more human-centered urban futures. A Superblock creator in her own neighbourhood, Laura focuses on scaling innovation, building partnerships, and enabling transformative change.Find out more about Laura through these links:Laura Reupke on LinkedInBABLE websiteBABLE on LinkedInBABLE on YoutubeBABLE Smart Cities podcast on SpotifyConnected episodes you might be interested in:No.069 - Interview with Éva Kereszty about urban healthNo.434 - Interview with Keith Cooke about affordable housingNo.456 - Interview with Caroline Howell about healthy local livingNo.463R - Environmental and health effects of the Barcelona superblocksWhat was the most interesting part for you? What questions did arise for you? Let me know on Twitter @WTF4Cities or on the wtf4cities.com website where the shownotes are also available.I hope this was an interesting episode for you and thanks for tuning in.If you would like to support the podcast, check out the Building Better Cities book or our Patreon!Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
Are you interested in liveable cities designed for everyone? What do you think about having conversations about the future of cities with strangers? How can we design the future of our cities with everyone in mind? Trailer for episode 464 - interview with Laura Reupke, CEO of BABLE. We will talk about her vision for the future of cities, the superblock model, 15-minute cities, bottom-up initiatives, and many more.Find out more in the episode.If you would like to support the podcast, check out the Building Better Cities book or our Patreon!Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
Are you interested in the superblock model's effects of health and the environment? Our debate today works with the article titled Environmental and health effects of the Barcelona superblocks from 2025, by Katherine Perez, Laia Palencia, Maria Jose Lopez, Brenda Biaani Leon‑Gomez, Anna Puig‑Ribera, Anna Gomez‑Gutierrez, Mark Nieuwenhuijsen, Gloria Carrasco‑Turigas, and Carme Borrell, published in the BMC Public Health journal. This is a great preparation to our next interview with Laura Reupke in episode 464 talking about the opportunities within the Superblock model. Since we are investigating the future of cities, I thought it would be interesting to see how the Barcelona superblock model actually impacts urban life. This article suggests that this urban design could be a vital strategy for mitigating climate change impacts and improving public health.Find the article through this link.Abstract: The superblocks model of Barcelona (Spain) seeks to reorganize the city based on reversing the distribution of public space between vehicles and people by prioritizing citizens, thus improving their environmental conditions and quality of life. The objective of this paper was to describe the effects on environmental, health and quality of life of the first three superblocks implemented, discuss the lessons learned, and provide recommendations for the future. The evaluation included different approaches depending on the superblock analyzed: A pre-post-intervention health survey, environmental measures of air quality, the Microscale Audit of Urban Landscapes for Pedestrians (MAPS), an observational study on target areas of physical activity (SOPARC), ethnographic guerrilla studies, and focus groups. Residents and workers in all three of the evaluated superblocks reported a perceived improvement in well-being, tranquillity and quality of sleep, some reduction in noise and pollution and an increase in social interaction. The built environment of the superblocks clearly influenced walkability, and the lower car traffic volume improved air quality measures. In one of the superblocks, the same intervention calmed traffic in one of the areas but not in another. Although on a small scale, this evaluation of the environmental, and health effects of the superblocks provides support for expanding the model to other areas of the city.Connected episodes you might be interested in:No.193R - Transforming our cities: Best practices towards clean air and active transportationNo.423R - Scaling the superblock model to city level in Barcelona? Learning from recent policy impact evaluationsNo.424 - Interview with Ben Wolf about redesigning one specific street in New York CityYou can find the transcript through this link.What was the most interesting part for you? What questions did arise for you? Let me know on Twitter @WTF4Cities or on the wtf4cities.com website where the shownotes are also availableI hope this was an interesting episode for you and thanks for tuning in.If you would like to support the podcast, check out the Building Better Cities book or our Patreon!Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link)Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
Are you interested in liveable cities designed for everyone? What do you think about having conversations about the future of cities with strangers? How can we design the future of our cities with everyone in mind? Trailer for episode 464 - interview with Laura Reupke, CEO of BABLE. We will talk about her vision for the future of cities, the superblock model, 15-minute cities, bottom-up initiatives, and many more.Find out more in the episode.If you would like to support the podcast, check out the Building Better Cities book or our Patreon!Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
Are you interested in liveable cities designed for everyone? What do you think about having conversations about the future of cities with strangers? How can we design the future of our cities with everyone in mind? Trailer for episode 464 - interview with Laura Reupke, CEO of BABLE. We will talk about her vision for the future of cities, the superblock model, 15-minute cities, bottom-up initiatives, and many more.Find out more in the episode.If you would like to support the podcast, check out the Building Better Cities book or our Patreon!Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
"The future is here, just not evenly distributed."Are you interested in urban conscious evolution and a hopeful future? What do you think about the saying: the future is here just not evenly distributed? How can we move towards better urban futures? Special reflective episode with Ben Vass, senior research engineer and yours truly, Fanni Melles, future of cities researcher, discussing what the last five years of the podcast and the world have taught us. We will talk about energy abundance, not evenly distributed but already present futures, antifragility and residuality theory, human progress and hope, and many more. Ben Vass is a senior research engineer, graph shaman and data magician who wants to build a Dyson swarm, explore the stars and understand consciousness. Standing between two worlds, he sees everything as a network of networks. He works on upgrading the world's financial infrastructure for transparency and verifiability. And his voice might be familiar because he voiced the podcast intro. Ben is also my partner in crime in every sense.My name is Fanni Melles, PhD and I am an architect, future of cities researcher and creator of the What is The Future for Cities? podcast. Hungarian-born and Melbourne-based, my PhD argued that generic solutions fail because every city is unique. I see cities as emergent properties of their people and want to help people shape places more consciously, creating urban conscious evolution.And with Ben, we are expecting 2 new urban agents, thus, this seemed a good time to stop and reflect on the last five years of the podcast and look into the future before a major paradigm shift in our thinking.Check out the Building Better Cities book which synthesises the last five years of the podcast, written by Fanni Melles.Find out more about Ben through these links:Ben Vass on LinkedInTokCast by Brett HallThe beginning of infinity by David DeutschFind out more about Fanni through these links:Fanni Melles on LinkedInFanni Melles website@fannimelles as Fanni Melles on X@fannimelles as Fanni Melles on InstagramVitruvian Solutions websiteVitruvian Solutions on LinkedInFanni Melles on RTRFM On Record program;Fanni Melles on RRR ByteIntoIT radio;Find out more about the podcast through these links:WTF4Cities on LinkedInWTF4Cities website@WTF4Cities as WTF4Cities on X@w.t.f.4cities as WTF4Cities on InstagramWTF4Cities on YoutubeConnected episodes you might be interested in:No.154R - Smart city, smarter city, smarter approachesNo.156 - Interview with Fanni Melles about urban conscious evolutionNo.180 - Interview with Ben Vass about knowledge and knowledge-creationNo.461R - Building Better Cities (book summary)What was the most interesting part for you? What questions did arise for you? Let me know on Twitter @WTF4Cities or on the wtf4cities.com website where the shownotes are also available.I hope this was an interesting episode for you and thanks for tuning in.If you would like to support the podcast, check out the Building Better Cities book or our PatreonEpisode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
Are you interested in urban conscious evolution and a hopeful future? What do you think about the saying: the future is here just not evenly distributed? How can we move towards better urban futures? Trailer for special reflective episode (462B) with Ben Vass, senior research engineer and yours truly, Fanni Melles, future of cities researcher, discussing what the last five years of the podcast and the world have taught us. We will talk about energy abundance, not evenly distributed but already present futures, antifragility and residuality theory, human progress and hope, and many more.Find out more in the episode.If you would like to support the podcast, check out the Building Better Cities book or our Patreon!Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
Are you interested in how to build better cities based on 5 years of conversations? Summary of the book titled Building Better Cities from 2026, by yours truly, Fanni Melles.This is a great summary of what we have learned during the first five years of the What is The Future for Cities? Podcast. Since we are investigating the future of cities, I thought it would be interesting to see how we can create better outcomes for us and upcoming generations. This book describes the dangerous memes to be aware of and the foundational pieces which we discussed on the podcast with multiple guests.Find the book through this link.Book description: A city is not something that happens to us. It is the emergent result of the choices, interactions, and relationships of the people who live within it. Which means we are not its victims – we are its architects, if we choose to be conscious of it. In this grounded synthesis of five years of conversations, Fanni Melles examines the dangerous ideas quietly shaping our urban futures and offers a clearer, more hopeful alternative. Drawing on research and real-world practice, she shows how we can move beyond limiting narratives and instead strengthen the conditions for cities that are more adaptable, humane, and regenerative. The future of our cities is still ours to decide. This book shows us how to participate more consciously in shaping it.Connected episodes you might be interested in:No.154R - Smart city, smarter city, smarter approachesNo.156 - Interview with Fanni Melles about urban evolutionNo.462 - Reflections on the last five years with Fanni Melles and Ben VassYou can find the transcript through this link.What was the most interesting part for you? What questions did arise for you? Let me know on Twitter @WTF4Cities or on the wtf4cities.com website where the shownotes are also availableI hope this was an interesting episode for you and thanks for tuning in.If you would like to support the podcast, check out the Building Better Cities book or our Patreon!Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link)Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
Are you interested in urban conscious evolution and a hopeful future? What do you think about the saying: the future is here just not evenly distributed? How can we move towards better urban futures? Trailer for special reflective episode (462B) with Ben Vass, senior research engineer and yours truly, Fanni Melles, future of cities researcher, discussing what the last five years of the podcast and the world have taught us. We will talk about energy abundance, not evenly distributed but already present futures, antifragility and residuality theory, human progress and hope, and many more.Find out more in the episode.If you would like to support the podcast, check out the Building Better Cities book or our Patreon!Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
Are you interested in urban conscious evolution and a hopeful future? What do you think about the saying: the future is here just not evenly distributed? How can we move towards better urban futures? Trailer for special reflective episode (462B) with Ben Vass, senior research engineer and yours truly, Fanni Melles, future of cities researcher, discussing what the last five years of the podcast and the world have taught us. We will talk about energy abundance, not evenly distributed but already present futures, antifragility and residuality theory, human progress and hope, and many more.Find out more in the episode.If you would like to support the podcast, check out the Building Better Cities book or our Patreon!Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
“When we rightsize and right site our energy like nature does, not wasting it, using what's really necessary, we can actually enjoy the benefits of ubiquitous low-cost energy availability.”Are you interested in distributed energy systems? What do you think about energy as one of the crucial layers for urban anatomy? How can we leverage economies of energy for better urban futures?Interview with Karl R Rábago, the Principal of Rábago Energy LLC. We will talk about his vision for the future of cities, distributed energy systems, sustainability history, cheap vs low cost, energy and cost savings, economies of energy, and many more. Karl R. Rábago is Principal of Rábago Energy LLC, based in Denver. With over 35 years of experience in clean energy, utility regulation, and sustainability, he has served as Texas PUC Commissioner, DOE Deputy Assistant Secretary, Vice President at Austin Energy, and attorney. A recognized innovator and expert in performance-based regulation and distributed energy resources, he has worked with RMI, EDF, and other NGOs, and chairs the Board of the Center for Resource Solutions and has provided more than 190 expert witness testimonies.Find out more about Karl through these links:Karl R. Rábago on LinkedInThe Grid Doesn't Need More Power Plants (It Needs This) - Karl R. Rábago on Undecided with Matt FerrellKarl Rábago and the Internet of Electricity on the TBD podcastCenter for Resource Solutions websiteConnected episodes you might be interested in:No.222 - Interview with Adam Dorr about disruptive technologiesNo.425R - Energy Foundation (book summary)No.426 - Interview with AJ Perkins about how energy is the foundation of everythingNo.459R - National Standard Practice Manual - For benefit-cost analysis of distributed energy resources - SummaryWhat was the most interesting part for you? What questions did arise for you? Let me know on Twitter @WTF4Cities or on the wtf4cities.com website where the shownotes are also available.I hope this was an interesting episode for you and thanks for tuning in.Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
Are you interested in distributed energy systems? What do you think about energy as one of the crucial layers for urban anatomy? How can we leverage economies of energy for better urban futures?Trailer for episode 460 - interview with Karl R Rábago, the Principal of Rábago Energy LLC. We will talk about his vision for the future of cities, distributed energy systems, sustainability history, cheap vs low cost, energy and cost savings, economies of energy, and many more.Find out more in the episode.Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
Are you interested in how distributed energy systems can work in practice? Our debate today works with the report titled National Standard Practice Manual: For benefit-cost analysis of distributed energy resources from 2020, by Tim Woolf, Courtney Lane, Melissa Whited, Chris Neme, Mike Alter, Steve Fine, Karl Rábago, Steven R. Schiller, Kate Strickland and Brenda Chew, published on the National Association of State Energy Officials website. This is a great preparation to our next interview with Karl R. Rábago in episode 460 talking about the opportunities within the distribute energy system model. Since we are investigating the future of cities, I thought it would be interesting to see how local energy investments value against traditional utility alternatives. This report provides a comprehensive framework for conducting benefit-cost analyses of diverse distributed energy resources.Find the report through this link.Connected episodes you might be interested in:No.222 - Interview with Adam Dorr about disruptive technologiesNo.425R - Energy Foundation (book summary)No.426 - Interview with AJ Perkins about how energy is the foundation of everythingYou can find the transcript through this link.What was the most interesting part for you? What questions did arise for you? Let me know on Twitter @WTF4Cities or on the wtf4cities.com website where the shownotes are also availableI hope this was an interesting episode for you and thanks for tuning inEpisode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link)Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
Are you interested in distributed energy systems? What do you think about energy as one of the crucial layers for urban anatomy? How can we leverage economies of energy for better urban futures?Trailer for episode 460 - interview with Karl R Rábago, the Principal of Rábago Energy LLC. We will talk about his vision for the future of cities, distributed energy systems, sustainability history, cheap vs low cost, energy and cost savings, economies of energy, and many more.Find out more in the episode.Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
Are you interested in distributed energy systems? What do you think about energy as one of the crucial layers for urban anatomy? How can we leverage economies of energy for better urban futures?Trailer for episode 460 - interview with Karl R Rábago, the Principal of Rábago Energy LLC. We will talk about his vision for the future of cities, distributed energy systems, sustainability history, cheap vs low cost, energy and cost savings, economies of energy, and many more.Find out more in the episode.Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
“Cities are simultaneously the fastest-growing, most economically important areas in the world, and also the most strained and fiscally strained layer of government in the world. And so the future of cities is really resolving some of that tension.”Are you interested in technology helping us making better decisions? What do you think about innovation as a relative term? How can we have discussions about the urban tension points? Interview with Ruthbea Yesner, Group Vice President at IDC. We will talk about her vision for the future of cities, technology and innovation, urban tension points, the individual's role, airspace urban layer, and many more. Ruthbea Yesner is Group Vice President at IDC, leading the global Government, Education, Health and Life Sciences teams. She drives research and strategy on technology innovation, governance, partnerships, and digital transformation to help public and nonprofit organisations deliver efficient, responsible, and resilient community services. With experience in Silicon Valley startups, state social services, and as an author and expert speaker, her work centres on balancing technology with community needs worldwide.Find out more about Ruthbea through these links:Ruthbea Yesner on LinkedIn@RuthbeaClarke as Ruthbea Yesner on XIDC websiteRuthbea Yesner at IDCConnected episodes you might be interested in:No.222 - Interview with Adam Dorr about the new technologies being more economically viableNo.408 - Interview with Jasper Steinhausen about making sustainability (innovation) profitableNo.442 - Interview with Darren Flynn about the underground urban layerNo.457R - What have urban digital twins contributed to urban planning and Decision making? From a systematic literature review toward a socio-technical research and development agendaWhat was the most interesting part for you? What questions did arise for you? Let me know on Twitter @WTF4Cities or on the wtf4cities.com website where the shownotes are also available.I hope this was an interesting episode for you and thanks for tuning in.Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
Are you interested in technology helping us making better decisions? What do you think about innovation as a relative term? How can we have discussions about the urban tension points? Trailer for episode 458 - interview with Ruthbea Yesner, Group Vice President at IDC. We will talk about her vision for the future of cities, technology and innovation, urban tension points, the individual's role, airspace urban layer, and many more.Find out more in the episode.Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
Are you interested in the evolution of urban digital twins? Debate of the article titled What have urban digital twins contributed to urban planning and decision-making? From a systematic literature review toward a socio-technical research and development agenda from 2025, by Shervin Azadi, Dena Kasraian, Pirouz Nourian, and Pieter van Wesemael, published in the MDPI Smart Cities journal.This is a great preparation to our next interview with Ruthbea Yesner in episode 458 talking about the opportunities with new technologies, such as digital twins for better urban futures. Since we are investigating the future of cities, I thought it would be interesting to see how digital twins have been helping urban decision-making. This article advocates for urban digital twins that are interdisciplinarily integrated, consensually contextualised and procedurally operationalised.Find the article through this link.Abstract: Urban digital twins (UDTs) were first discussed in 2018. Seven years later, we ask: What has been their contribution to urban planning and decision making so far? Here, we systematically review 88 peer-reviewed articles to map and compare UDTs' ambitions with their realized contributions. Our results indicate that despite the vast technical developments, socio-technical challenges have remained largely unaddressed, causing many of UDTs' ambitions to remain unrealized. We identify three categories in these socio-technical challenges: interdisciplinary integration (II), consensual contextualization (CC), and procedural operationalization (PO). Accordingly, we consolidate a socio-technical research and development agenda to realize the ambitions of UDTs for urban planning and decision making: Augmented Urban Planning (AUP).Connected episodes you might be interested in:No.222 - Interview with Adam Dorr about the new technologies being more economically viableNo.408 - Interview with Jasper Steinhausen about making sustainability (innovation) profitableNo.442 - Interview with Darren Flynn about the underground urban layerYou can find the transcript through this link.What was the most interesting part for you? What questions did arise for you? Let me know on Twitter @WTF4Cities or on the wtf4cities.com website where the shownotes are also availableI hope this was an interesting episode for you and thanks for tuning inEpisode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link)Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
Are you interested in technology helping us making better decisions? What do you think about innovation as a relative term? How can we have discussions about the urban tension points? Trailer for episode 458 - interview with Ruthbea Yesner, Group Vice President at IDC. We will talk about her vision for the future of cities, technology and innovation, urban tension points, the individual's role, airspace urban layer, and many more.Find out more in the episode.Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
Are you interested in technology helping us making better decisions? What do you think about innovation as a relative term? How can we have discussions about the urban tension points? Trailer for episode 458 - interview with Ruthbea Yesner, Group Vice President at IDC. We will talk about her vision for the future of cities, technology and innovation, urban tension points, the individual's role, airspace urban layer, and many more.Find out more in the episode.Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
“I believe humans can be keystone species once again… What does it look like when human presence on a land regenerates that land and brings more life to it?”Are you interested in regenerative development? What do you think about healthy living as being more locally connected? How can we become keystone species for regeneration? Interview with Caroline Howell, CEO and Co-Founder of Canopy. We will talk about her vision for the future of cities, regeneration, sovereignty, technology vs nature, healthy living, humans as keystone species, and many more. Caroline Howell is a visionary real estate developer based in Panama, leading Canopy - a development platform that harnesses traditional markets to regenerate land, restore biodiversity, and deliver regenerative living rooted in clean food, water, air, and nature connection. With a background in finance, private equity, and outdoor tech, she proves regeneration is a scalable, investable model for thriving communities and ecosystems. She is passionate about beach life and hiking with her dog Cosmo.Find out more about Caroline through these links:Caroline Howell on LinkedInCanopy website@canopy.venao as Canopy on InstagramConnected episodes you might be interested in:No.266 - Interview with Alison Whitten about urban regenerationNo.446 - Interview with Andy Roberts about 10 regenerative principlesNo.454 - Interview with Kamogelo Thumankwe about crop resilienceNo.455R - Understanding biodiversity-ecosystem service relationships in urban areas: A comprehensive literature reviewWhat was the most interesting part for you? What questions did arise for you? Let me know on Twitter @WTF4Cities or on the wtf4cities.com website where the shownotes are also available.I hope this was an interesting episode for you and thanks for tuning in.Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
Are you interested in regenerative development? What do you think about healthy living as being more locally connected? How can we become keystone species for regeneration? Trailer for episode 456 - interview with Caroline Howell, CEO and Co-Founder of Canopy. We will talk about her vision for the future of cities, regeneration, sovereignty, technology vs nature, healthy living, humans as keystone species, and many more. Find out more in the episode.Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
Are you interested in the relationship between urban biodiversity and ecosystem services? Debate of the article titled Understanding biodiversity-ecosystem service relationships in urban areas: A comprehensive literature review from 2017, by Nina Schwarz, Marco Moretti, Miguel N. Bugalho, Zoe G. Davies, Dagmar Haase, Jochen Hack, Angela Hof, Yolanda Meleroj, Tristan J. Pett, and Sonja Knapp, published in the Ecosystem Services journal.This is a great preparation to our next interview with Caroline Howell in episode 456 talking about the need for structural changes for meaningful impact on handling nature in communities. Since we are investigating the future of cities, I thought it would be interesting to see how we can improve our approach to nature beyond mere green washing. This article calls for more action to help urban designers navigate the trade-offs between promoting nature and ensuring reliable service delivery for residents.Find the article through this link.Abstract: Positive relationships between biodiversity and urban ecosystem services (UES) are widely implied within both the scientific and policy literatures, along with the tacit suggestion that enhancing urban green infrastructure will automatically improve both biodiversity and UES. However, it is unclear how much published empirical evidence exists to support these assumptions. We conducted a review of studies published between 1990 and May 2017 that examined urban biodiversity ecosystem service (BES) relationships. In total, we reviewed 317 publications and found biodiversity and UES metrics mentioned 944 times. Only 228 (24%) of the 944 mentions were empirically tested. Among these, 119 (52%) demonstrated a positive BES relationship. Our review showed that taxonomic metrics were used most often as proxies for biodiversity, with very little attention given to functional biodiversity metrics. Similarly, the role of particular species, including non-natives, and specific functional traits are understudied. Finally, we found a paucity of empirical evidence underpinning urban BES relationships. As urban planners increasingly incorporate UES delivery consideration to their decision-making, researchers need to address these substantial knowledge gaps to allow potential trade-offs and synergies between biodiversity conservation and the promotion of UES to be adequately accounted for.Connected episodes you might be interested in:No.266 - Interview with Alison Whitten about urban regenerationNo.446 - Interview with Andy Roberts about 10 regenerative principlesNo.454 - Interview with Kamogelo Thumankwe about crop resilienceYou can find the transcript through this link.What was the most interesting part for you? What questions did arise for you? Let me know on Twitter @WTF4Cities or on the wtf4cities.com website where the shownotes are also availableI hope this was an interesting episode for you and thanks for tuning inEpisode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link)Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
Are you interested in regenerative development? What do you think about healthy living as being more locally connected? How can we become keystone species for regeneration? Trailer for episode 456 - interview with Caroline Howell, CEO and Co-Founder of Canopy. We will talk about her vision for the future of cities, regeneration, sovereignty, technology vs nature, healthy living, humans as keystone species, and many more. Find out more in the episode.Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
Are you interested in regenerative development? What do you think about healthy living as being more locally connected? How can we become keystone species for regeneration? Trailer for episode 456 - interview with Caroline Howell, CEO and Co-Founder of Canopy. We will talk about her vision for the future of cities, regeneration, sovereignty, technology vs nature, healthy living, humans as keystone species, and many more. Find out more in the episode.Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
“A city can have a perfect transit, the perfect architecture, housing and energy - and still be one supply shock from empty shelves.”Are you interested in making our food chain more resilient? What do you think about our food foot prints? How can we improve the circularity of our food systems? Interview with Kamogelo Thumankwe, founder and CEO of Tsarona. We will talk about her vision for the future of cities, urban food prints, circularity of food systems, diversity of crops for resilience, and many more. Kamogelo Thumankwe is the founder and CEO of Tsarona, a pioneering company building climate-resilient food systems by reviving the ancient African Bambara groundnut. Connecting over 5,000 smallholder farmers across 11 African countries to European markets, Tsarona delivers sustainable, traceable, clean-label ingredients with superior performance to soy. Award-winning and driven by heritage and innovation, Kamogelo champions African indigenous crops, supply chain transparency, and equitable trade between Africa and Europe.Find out more about Kamogelo through these links:Kamogelo Thumankwe on LinkedIn@thumankwe as Kamogelo Thumankwe on XTsarona websiteTsarona on LinkedIn@eat_tsarona as Tsarona on InstagramKamogelo Thumankwe: 75% of crop diversity is already lost & African superfood brand wants to stop it - on Tomorrow's Bites with Andrés and SjaccoConnected episodes you might be interested in:No.222 - Interview with Adam Dorr about emerging technologies for urban food productionNo.299R - Validating the City Region Food System Approach: Enacting Inclusive, Transformational City Region Food SystemsNo.300 - Panel conversation about urban food productionNo.453R - Does crop diversification lead to climate-related resilience? Improving the theory through insights on practiceWhat was the most interesting part for you? What questions did arise for you? Let me know on Twitter @WTF4Cities or on the wtf4cities.com website where the shownotes are also available.I hope this was an interesting episode for you and thanks for tuning in.Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
Are you interested in making our food chain more resilient? What do you think about our food foot prints? How can we improve the circularity of our food systems? Trailer for episode 454 - interview with Kamogelo Thumankwe, founder and CEO of Tsarona. We will talk about her vision for the future of cities, urban food prints, circularity of food systems, diversity of crops for resilience, and many more.Find out more in the episode.Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
Are you interested in making our food chain more resilient? Our debate today works with the article titled Does crop diversification lead to climate-related resilience? Improving the theory through insights on practice from 2022, by Ronnie Vernooy, published in the Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems journal.This is a great preparation to our next interview with Kamogelo Thumankwe in episode 454 talking about resilience in urban food supply chains. Since we are investigating the future of cities, I thought it would be interesting to see the impact of crop diversification on agricultural stability and its potential to build climate resilience. This article argues that while integrating diverse crops is vital for climate adaptation, it must be supported by stronger social institutions and policies to facilitate a global food transition.Find the article through this link.Abstract: In recent years, CGIAR researchers have investigated the effectiveness of using agrobiodiversity, and more particularly crop and crop varietal diversity, as an adaptive practice to mitigate climate-change impacts on agriculture and to contribute to rural household and community resilience. The hypothesis informing this research is that the sustained practice of crop diversification leads to ecological redundancy, which allows farmer households and their communities to produce multiple positive livelihood benefits. The validity of this hypothesis is investigated by means of an extensive literature review (covering 2015–2020). Findings reveal ample evidence of positive outcomes, including increased yields and household incomes, improved nutrition and food security, new marketing opportunities, reduced poverty, and strengthened adaptive and innovative capacity. However, the evidence is far less convincing about the last part of the hypothetical impact pathway, i.e. the link between positive livelihood benefits and (increased) resilience. This shortcoming is addressed through the elaboration of a more clearly articulated theory of change for crop diversification and a refined methodology to support farmers in making appropriate diversification decisions. At the same time, the critical review opens a window on an important, novel perspective, which is to look at the role that crop diversification could play in a wider societal transition toward a more sustainable future.Connected episodes you might be interested in:No.222 - Interview with Adam Dorr about emerging technologies for urban food productionNo.299R - Validating the City Region Food System Approach: Enacting Inclusive, Transformational City Region Food SystemsNo.300 - Panel conversation about urban food productionYou can find the transcript through this link.What was the most interesting part for you? What questions did arise for you? Let me know on Twitter @WTF4Cities or on the wtf4cities.com website where the shownotes are also availableI hope this was an interesting episode for you and thanks for tuning inEpisode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link)Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
Are you interested in making our food chain more resilient? What do you think about our food foot prints? How can we improve the circularity of our food systems? Trailer for episode 454 - interview with Kamogelo Thumankwe, founder and CEO of Tsarona. We will talk about her vision for the future of cities, urban food prints, circularity of food systems, diversity of crops for resilience, and many more.Find out more in the episode.Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
Are you interested in making our food chain more resilient? What do you think about our food foot prints? How can we improve the circularity of our food systems? Trailer for episode 454 - interview with Kamogelo Thumankwe, founder and CEO of Tsarona. We will talk about her vision for the future of cities, urban food prints, circularity of food systems, diversity of crops for resilience, and many more.Find out more in the episode.Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
"We never can abandon freight as long we have demand for products and services… We are the blood vessels for a healthy society, and that, that's very important.”Are you interested in how logistics influences urban planning? What do you think about pilots of collaborative logistics? How can we rethink logistics in regards to resilience?Interview with Ron van Duin, applied research professor of Port & City Logistics at Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences and assistant professor at Delft University of Technology, Faculty Technology, Policy and Management. We will talk about his vision for the future of cities, freight and transportation, drones, autonomous vehicles, rethinking logistics for resilience, and many more. Ron van Duin is an applied research professor of Port & City Logistics at Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences and assistant professor at Delft University of Technology, Faculty Technology, Policy and Management. With a background in Econometrics and a PhD in Technology, Policy and Management. He has over 30 years' experience in city logistics, sustainable urban freight transport, intermodal transportation, and simulation. His research focuses on sustainability, efficiency, and the impacts of new technologies in freight and logistics.Find out more about Ron through these links:Ron van Duin on LinkedInRon van Duin at Rotterdam University of Applied SciencesRon van Duin at TU DelftRon van Duin on Google ScholarRon van Duin on ResearchGateLow Impact in Lastmile Logistics - CoE KennisDC LogistiekConnected episodes you might be interested in:No.344 - Interview with Mark Coates about challenges of urban deliveryNo.439R - How autonomous vehicles can affect anomalies of urban transportationNo.440 - Interview with John Rossant about the urban mobility revolutionNo.451R - Defining the interface between city logistics and urban design: A systematic literature reviewWhat was the most interesting part for you? What questions did arise for you? Let me know on Twitter @WTF4Cities or on the wtf4cities.com website where the shownotes are also available.I hope this was an interesting episode for you and thanks for tuning in.Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
Are you interested in how logistics influences urban planning? What do you think about pilots of collaborative logistics? How can we rethink logistics in regards to resilience?Trailer for episode 452 - interview with Ron van Duin, applied research professor of Port & City Logistics at Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences and assistant professor at Delft University of Technology, Faculty Technology, Policy and Management. We will talk about his vision for the future of cities, freight and transportation, drones, autonomous vehicles, rethinking logistics for resilience, and many more.Find out more in the episode.Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
Are you interested in how urban logistics and urban design are connected? Debate of the article titled Defining the interface between city logistics and urban design: a systematic literature review from 2026, by Jiayu Joslyn Sun, Lóránt Tavasszy, and Ron van Duin, published in the Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives journal.This is a great preparation to our next interview with Ron van Duin in episode 452 talking about the connection between urban freight and planning. Since we are investigating the future of cities, I thought it would be interesting to see how freight activities increasingly impact the functional and aesthetic quality of metropolitan environments. This article suggests that while functional and morphological aspects are well-studied, the social, perceptual, and visual impacts of logistics remain significantly overlooked.Find the article through this link.Abstract: Logistics services have become crucial in shaping urban spaces and influencing urban dynamics. However, despite growing scholarly and policy attention in recent years, their implications for urban design remain unevenly addressed and insufficiently integrated across themes and methods. Addressing the challenges of urban freight transport does not rely solely on transportation perspectives but instead requires interdisciplinary collaboration. This study conducts a systematic literature review following the PRISMA protocol to examine city logistics through an urban design lens, guided by a framework of six urban design dimensions. The main objectives are to introduce an urban design perspective into the urban freight transport discourse, identify existing research gaps, and propose a framework for future studies. A total of 83 publications were reviewed. A descriptive bibliometric analysis shows that scholarly attention to this topic has significantly increased in the past two years. An inductive thematic analysis reveals four thematic clusters: (1) problematisation, (2) analysis of traffic conflicts, (3) curbside design and management, and (4) freight facility integration. By synthesising these thematic patterns, the study proposes research opportunities within each urban design dimension to guide future investigation. The paper contributes to the literature by offering a comprehensive understanding of freight transport from an urban design perspective, conceptualising urban design as distinct from other urban research fields, and outlining cross-disciplinary pathways that can bridge city logistics and urban design.Connected episodes you might be interested in:No.344 - Interview with Mark Coates about challenges of urban deliveryNo.439R - How autonomous vehicles can affect anomalies of urban transportationNo.440 - Interview with John Rossant about the urban mobility revolution
Are you interested in how logistics influences urban planning? What do you think about pilots of collaborative logistics? How can we rethink logistics in regards to resilience?Trailer for episode 452 - interview with Ron van Duin, applied research professor of Port & City Logistics at Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences and assistant professor at Delft University of Technology, Faculty Technology, Policy and Management. We will talk about his vision for the future of cities, freight and transportation, drones, autonomous vehicles, rethinking logistics for resilience, and many more.Find out more in the episode.Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
Are you interested in how logistics influences urban planning? What do you think about pilots of collaborative logistics? How can we rethink logistics in regards to resilience?Trailer for episode 452 - interview with Ron van Duin, applied research professor of Port & City Logistics at Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences and assistant professor at Delft University of Technology, Faculty Technology, Policy and Management. We will talk about his vision for the future of cities, freight and transportation, drones, autonomous vehicles, rethinking logistics for resilience, and many more.Find out more in the episode.Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
Are you interested in the future of urban governance? What do you think is the role of AI in urban governance? How can we utilise the localised feedback loops for the better future of cities? This episode is a panel discussion about the future of urban governance. The panellists, Micah Gaudet, Ana Maria Bustamante Duarte, and Balamurugan Soundararaj talk about their vision for the future of cities, urban governance, localised solutions, AI, transparency, and many more. Micah Gaudet is a Deputy City Manager who helps local governments understand and apply AI in practical, operational ways grounded in the realities of municipal leadership. He focuses on how AI reshapes workflows, decision-making, service delivery, and organizational capacity across public safety, budgeting, HR, permitting, community development, and emergency response. Micah speaks, writes, and trains governments to adopt AI responsibly while preserving context, culture, and people-first public service.Find out more about Micah through these links:Micah Gaudet on LinkedInMicah Gaudet websiteFragile Systems: An Ecological Approach to AI in Government - book by Micah GaudetAna Maria Bustamante Duarte is a passionate architect and urban researcher dedicated to creating just, responsible, and open cities through collaborative and community-based strategies. Her work critically examines the design, use, and impacts of (geo)technologies and data-driven approaches in diverse urban contexts. She contributed to the Dialogical Spaces Podcast as part of the "Dialogical Spaces for a Diverse University" project.Find out more about Ana through these links:Ana Maria Bustamante Duarte on LinkedInAna Maria Bustamante Duarte on Google ScholarBalamurugan Soundararaj is a Senior Lecturer at the City Futures Research Centre, UNSW Sydney, and CTO of MapAI, where he leverages Generative AI for GIS and spatial analysis. His expertise combines Artificial Intelligence, data analytics, and visualisation to advance urban planning and quantitative human geography. His research focuses on integrating innovative technologies into urban studies, delivering data-driven insights and solutions for complex spatial problems to support smarter decision-making in cities.Find out more about Bala through these links:Balamurugan Soundararaj on LinkedInBalamurugan Soundararaj at UNSWBalamurugan Soundararaj on Google ScholarBalamurugan Soundararaj talks on YoutubeUNSW City Futures Research Centre websiteMapAI websiteMapAI on LinkedInConnected episodes you might be interested in:No.294 - Interview with Erick A. Brimen about the minimal role of governance No.296 - Interview with Sally Capp about public-private partnerships No.298 - Interview with Carina Gormley about participatory governanceNo.449R - Cities aren't rocket engines: the maturity of digital twins in human-centred urban planningWhat was the most interesting part for you? What questions did arise for you? Let me know on Twitter @WTF4Cities or on the wtf4cities.com website where the shownotes are also available.I hope this was an interesting episode for you and thanks for tuning in.Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
Are you interested in the future of urban governance? What do you think is the role of AI in urban governance? How can we utilise the localised feedback loops for the better future of cities? Trailer with Balamurugan Soundararaj for episode 450 - panel discussion about the future of urban governance. The panellists, Micah Gaudet, Ana Maria Bustamante Duarte, and Balamurugan Soundararaj talk about their vision for the future of cities, urban governance, localised solutions, AI, transparency, and many more.Find out more in the episode.Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
Are you interested in how to utilise digital twins in human-centred urban planning? Debate of the article titled Cities aren't rocket engines: The maturity of digital twins in human-centred urban planning from 2025, by Lucas van der Meer, Lukas Esterle, Mario Cools, and Martin Loidl, published in the International Journal of Digital Earth.This is a great preparation to our next panel conversation with Micah Gaudet, Ana Maria Bustamante Durante and Balamurugan Soundararaj in episode 450 talking about the challenges of data and digital twin use in urban governance. Since we are investigating the future of cities, I thought it would be interesting to see how the urban mechanism of data and urban vitalism of human experiences can be connected. This article advocates for a human-centred approach where digital tools serve as a lens to explore possibilities rather than an objective truth to dictate outcomes.Find the article through this link.Abstract: In this article we provide a critical perspective on the role of urban digital twins in human-centred urban planning. We discuss the underlying philosophical views of these two concepts and argue that urban digital twins can only have real value if we facilitate a dialogue between those views. This means that we should move beyond purely technological approaches focused on automated optimization and control. Rather than as an objective source of truth, urban digital twins should be treated as a lens through which we can explore urban issues, while acknowledging the assumptions and oversights of computational models. We propose a revised conceptual structure of a mature urban digital twin, in which active human involvement is an asset rather than a limitation, and define seven additional characteristics of maturity besides being technologically advanced: adaptive, constructive, diverse, honest, humble, responsible, and transparent. Ultimately, we call for a shift from ‘data-driven' to ‘data-informed' urban planning, arguing that the true value of digital technologies lies not in replacing human agency, but in supporting it.Connected episodes you might be interested in:No.140R - Creating digital twins to save our citiesNo.141 - Interview with Soheil Sabri about urban digital twinsYou can find the transcript through this link.What was the most interesting part for you? What questions did arise for you? Let me know on Twitter @WTF4Cities or on the wtf4cities.com website where the shownotes are also availableI hope this was an interesting episode for you and thanks for tuning inEpisode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link)Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
Are you interested in the future of urban governance? What do you think is the role of AI in urban governance? How can we utilise the localised feedback loops for the better future of cities? Trailer with Micah Gaudet for episode 450 - panel discussion about the future of urban governance. The panellists, Micah Gaudet, Ana Maria Bustamante Duarte, and Balamurugan Soundararaj talk about their vision for the future of cities, urban governance, localised solutions, AI, transparency, and many more.Find out more in the episode.Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
Are you interested in the future of urban governance? What do you think is the role of AI in urban governance? How can we utilise the localised feedback loops for the better future of cities? Trailer with Micah Gaudet for episode 450 - panel discussion about the future of urban governance. The panellists, Micah Gaudet, Ana Maria Bustamante Duarte, and Balamurugan Soundararaj talk about their vision for the future of cities, urban governance, localised solutions, AI, transparency, and many more.Find out more in the episode.Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
"We're anticipating these massive climate change impacts and incorporating resiliency into our built environment to stand against that."Are you interested in urban forestry? What do you think about the tension between the need for development and green spaces? How can we bring out the best from climate change through climate ruggedisation and green jobs?Interview with Jasen Johns, urban forester and municipal arborist. We will talk about his vision for the future of cities, urban forestry, ecodistrics, 3-30-300 model, canopy cover, climate change and ruggedisation, and many more. Jasen Johns is an urban forester and municipal arborist with 26 years of experience in urban forestry and arboriculture. Passionate about integrating plants into built environments, he champions effective stewardship of urban forests to create happily habitable cities that address 21st-century challenges like climate resilience, livability, and sustainability. Jasen looks forward to collaborating on innovative solutions that enhance urban life for all.Find out more about Jasen through this link:Jasen Johns on LinkedInConnected episodes you might be interested in:No.392 - Interview with Sebastian Pfautsch about being climate smartNo.411R - Is coastal climate adaptation infrastructure worth public investment? No.412 - Interview with Louis de Jaeger about climate mitigation strategies and urban food forests447R - Facilitating adaptive forest management under climate change: A spatially specific synthesis of 125 species for habitat changes and assisted migration over the Eastern United StatesWhat was the most interesting part for you? What questions did arise for you? Let me know on Twitter @WTF4Cities or on the wtf4cities.com website where the shownotes are also available.I hope this was an interesting episode for you and thanks for tuning in.Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
Are you interested in urban forestry? What do you think about the tension between the need for development and green spaces? How can we bring out the best from climate change through climate ruggedisation and green jobs?Trailer for episode 448 - interview with Jasen Johns, urban forester and municipal arborist. We will talk about his vision for the future of cities, urban forestry, ecodistrics, 3-30-300 model, canopy cover, climate change and ruggedisation, and many more.Find out more in the episode.Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
Are you interested in how to adapt our natural systems to climate change? Debate of the article titled Facilitating adaptive forest management under climate change: A spatially specific synthesis of 125 species for habitat changes and assisted migration over the eastern United States from 2019, by Louis R. Iverson, Anantha M. Prasad, Matthew P. Peters, and Stephen N. Matthews, published in the MDPI Forests journal.This is a great preparation to our next interview with Jasen Johns in episode 448 talking about urban and community forestry. Since we are investigating the future of cities, I thought it would be interesting to see how our natural systems, specifically forests in this case, can be prepared for climate change. This article synthesises two decades of research to provide a comprehensive framework for managing species under the changing climate.Find the article through this link.Abstract: We modeled and combined outputs for 125 tree species for the eastern United States, using habitat suitability and colonization potential models along with an evaluation of adaptation traits. These outputs allowed, for the first time, the compilation of tree species' current and future potential for each unit of 55 national forests and grasslands and 469 1 × 1 degree grids across the eastern United States. A habitat suitability model, a migration simulation model, and an assessment based on biological and disturbance factors were used with United States Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis data to evaluate species potential to migrate or infill naturally into suitable habitats over the next 100 years. We describe a suite of variables, by species, for each unique geographic unit, packaged as summary tables describing current abundance, potential future change in suitable habitat, adaptability, and capability to cope with the changing climate, and colonization likelihood over 100 years. This resulting synthesis and summation effort, culminating over two decades of work, provides a detailed data set that incorporates habitat quality, land cover, and dispersal potential, spatially constrained, for nearly all the tree species of the eastern United States. These tables and maps provide an estimate of potential species trends out 100 years, intended to deliver managers and publics with practical tools to reduce the vast set of decisions before them as they proactively manage tree species in the face of climate change.Connected episodes you might be interested in:No.392 - Interview with Sebastian Pfautsch about being climate smartNo.411R - Is coastal climate adaptation infrastructure worth public investment? No.412 - Interview with Louis de Jaeger about climate mitigation strategies and urban food forests
Are you interested in urban forestry? What do you think about the tension between the need for development and green spaces? How can we bring out the best from climate change through climate ruggedisation and green jobs?Trailer for episode 448 - interview with Jasen Johns, urban forester and municipal arborist. We will talk about his vision for the future of cities, urban forestry, ecodistrics, 3-30-300 model, canopy cover, climate change and ruggedisation, and many more.Find out more in the episode.Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
Are you interested in urban forestry? What do you think about the tension between the need for development and green spaces? How can we bring out the best from climate change through climate ruggedisation and green jobs?Trailer for episode 448 - interview with Jasen Johns, urban forester and municipal arborist. We will talk about his vision for the future of cities, urban forestry, ecodistrics, 3-30-300 model, canopy cover, climate change and ruggedisation, and many more.Find out more in the episode.Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
"What if every time we built something, the world got better?"Are you interested in regenerative urban design principles? What do you think about the process of creating a vision for a place? How can we improve our implementation of regenerative principles?Interview with Andy Roberts, the Urban Design Director of Planit. We will talk about his vision for the future of cities, regenerative urban design principles, vision creation, the role of designers, urban evolution, and many more. Andy Roberts is an accomplished Urban Designer and leader of Planit's Urban Design team, with 21 years shaping the firm's Urbanism Services and business strategy. He specialises in large-scale masterplanning, regenerative urbanism, and strategic growth frameworks for mixed-use developments and town centres. Andy leads community engagement, design workshops, and inquiry-by-design processes, and serves as a Design Council CABE Built Environment Expert (BEE), former High Street Task Force Expert, and member of the Places Matter and Sheffield Design Review Panels.Find out more about Andy through these links:Andy Roberts on LinkedIn@andyroberts2607 as Andy Roberts on InstagramPlanit websitePlanit on LinkedInConnected episodes you might be interested in:No.266 - Interview with Alison Whitten about regenerative urban practicesNo.295R - Critical success factors for public-private partnerships in urban regeneration projectsNo.438 - Interview with Joris de Leeuw about regenerating urban ecosystems and food forestsNo.445R - Driving mechanisms of green regeneration in old industrial areas under ecological security constraintsWhat was the most interesting part for you? What questions did arise for you? Let me know on Twitter @WTF4Cities or on the wtf4cities.com website where the shownotes are also available.I hope this was an interesting episode for you and thanks for tuning in.Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
Are you interested in regenerative urban design principles? What do you think about the process of creating a vision for a place? How can we improve our implementation of regenerative principles?Trailer for episode 446 - interview with Andy Roberts, the Urban Design Director of Planit. We will talk about his vision for the future of cities, regenerative urban design principles, vision creation, the role of designers, urban evolution, and many more.Find out more in the episode.Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
Are you interested in how regeneration can help old urban areas? Debate of the article titled Driving mechanisms of green regeneration in old industrial areas under ecological security constraints: Evolutionary game theory oriented toward public satisfaction from 2024, by Yang Zhang, Chang Liu, and Caixia Hou, published in the Journal of Urban Planning and Development.This is a great preparation to our next interview with Andy Roberts in episode 446 talking about regenerative design principles. Since we are investigating the future of cities, I thought it would be interesting to see what mechanisms can drive green regeneration in aging industrial districts. This article suggests that achieving sustainable urban transformation requires a balance of public supervision, strategic subsidies and strict environmental regulations.Find the article through this link.Abstract: Old industrial areas have numerous ecological safety problems, requiring green regeneration to mitigate related risks. This study considered the impact of public participation and willingness to adopt green regeneration of old industrial areas and developed an evolutionary game model for the local government and developers. Then, we analyzed the initial strategy and relevant variables of the game through MATLAB (version 2021a) simulation to inform the establishment of green regeneration of old industrial areas. The study results showed that public willingness to use regenerated industrial areas and green preferences could motivate the adoption of green regeneration among developers. The incremental cost of ecological restoration of old industrial areas considerably hinders developers from opting for green regeneration. When the incremental cost exceeds the government's financial subsidies and policy preferences, developers often opt for traditional renovation. Furthermore, punitive measures enforced by local government against developers were found to be more effective than incentives; when the cost of punishment exceeds the incremental cost of ecological restoration, developers often opt for green regeneration. Although the ecological safety concerns in old industrial areas can prompt local governments to opt for stringent regulations and developers for green regeneration at the beginning of the game model, evolutionary stability is not reached.Connected episodes you might be interested in:No.266 - Interview with Alison Whitten about regenerative urban practicesNo.295R - Critical success factors for public-private partnerships in urban regeneration projectsNo.438 - Interview with Joris de Leeuw about regenerating urban ecosystems and food forestsYou can find the transcript through this link.What was the most interesting part for you? What questions did arise for you? Let me know on Twitter @WTF4Cities or on the wtf4cities.com website where the shownotes are also availableI hope this was an interesting episode for you and thanks for tuning inEpisode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link)Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
Are you interested in regenerative urban design principles? What do you think about the process of creating a vision for a place? How can we improve our implementation of regenerative principles?Trailer for episode 446 - interview with Andy Roberts, the Urban Design Director of Planit. We will talk about his vision for the future of cities, regenerative urban design principles, vision creation, the role of designers, urban evolution, and many more.Find out more in the episode.Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
Are you interested in regenerative urban design principles? What do you think about the process of creating a vision for a place? How can we improve our implementation of regenerative principles?Trailer for episode 446 - interview with Andy Roberts, the Urban Design Director of Planit. We will talk about his vision for the future of cities, regenerative urban design principles, vision creation, the role of designers, urban evolution, and many more.Find out more in the episode.Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
"These are problems on the one hand. On the other hand, you can also turn it around and say: 'Okay, if that is a given, how would we have to organise it that it actually works better?'"Are you interested in finding the real problem of the urban fabric? What do you think about robustness vs antifragility? How can we improve our feedback loops in the building industry? Interview with Markus Appenzeller, Founder and Director of MLA+. We will talk about his vision for the future of cities, sequence for finding the real problems, urban evolution, rethinking cities, city regions, and many more. Markus Appenzeller advises governments and private clients on complex urban transformations, delivering integrated strategic advice that combines spatial planning, policy, law, economics, and governance. His unusual background in architecture, urbanism, law, and banking enables him to bridge the worlds of ministers and developers with ease. He serves as Chief Technical Adviser to the UNDP, where he leads the reform of Saudi Arabia's entire national planning system. Markus was Professor & Dean at leading design schools in Shenzhen and Amsterdam, and he is the Founder & Director of MLA+, a Fellow of the BMW Foundation Herbert Quandt, Board Member of ISOCARP, and author of The Daily Urban Dose.Find out more about Markus through these links:Markus Appenzeller on LinkedIn@markusappenzeller as Markus Appenzeller on InstagramThe Daily Urban Dose blogMLA+ websiteMLA+ on LinkedIn@mlaplus as MLA+ on InstagramISOCARP websiteConnected episodes you might interested in:No.420 - Interview with Josh Dorfman about solving a local problem having a global impactNo.430 - Interview with Alain Bertraud about the Greater Bay AreaNo.434 - Interview with Keith Cooke about housing affordability and capacityNo.443R - Enhancing resilient sustainable cities: public perspectives of urban resilient designWhat was the most interesting part for you? What questions did arise for you? Let me know on Twitter @WTF4Cities or on the wtf4cities.com website where the shownotes are also available.I hope this was an interesting episode for you and thanks for tuning in.Episode generated with Descript assistance (affiliate link).Music by Lesfm from Pixabay
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