Category: Weekly reflection
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Sponge cities meet digital transformation: Reflections on resilient urban planning
This week on the What is The Future for Cities? podcast, two episodes examined urban challenges and solutions. Tuesday’s research episode (343R) summarised the white paper Creating sponge cities to tackle surface water flooding by Mark Coates and Neal Edmondson, advocating nature-based drainage to address rising flood risks. This prepared for Thursday’s interview (344I) with…
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Shifting cityscapes: Key insights on growth patterns and space in cities
In the latest episodes of the What is the future for cities? podcast, we examined intriguing changes in urban forms and fresh ways to interpret them. Episode 341 summarised a 2024 research article from Nature Cities on global urban structural growth over three decades, showing a transition from outward expansion to vertical build-up. Episode 342…
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From playgrounds to classrooms: Building the future of cities with the youth
This week, the What is The Future For Cities podcast delivered a powerful double feature that challenges us to rethink urban spaces through the lens of children and youth. Episode 337R, based on Rhian Powell’s 2024 research, explored the opportunities and challenges of child-friendly cities, while episode 338I featured an inspiring interview with Alison Watson,…
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From complexity to collaboration: Insights from energy systems, urban planning, and transformative governance
This week’s episodes of the What is The Future For Cities? podcast sparked a deep exploration of urban futures, focusing on energy systems and transformative planning. Episode 335R unpacked the research article “A framework for exploring futures of complex urban energy systems” by Sumedha Basu and Catherine S. E. Bale, while Episode 336I featured a…
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Lessons from placemaking: Building cities that feel like home
This week on the What is The Future for Cities? podcast, we explored the art and science of placemaking through two compelling episodes. Episode 333R unpacked John Friedmann’s 2010 research, Place and Placemaking in Cities: A global perspective, offering a deep look at how small urban spaces become cherished community hubs. Episode 334I featured an…
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From reactors to resilience: Nuclear’s Role in the future of cities
Nuclear energy: a divisive topic that sparks heated debates about safety, resilience, and the future of our cities. This week, the What is The Future for Cities? podcast tackled nuclear’s potential through a research summary of Investigating the Potential of Nuclear Energy in Achieving a Carbon-Free Energy Future by Jānis Krūmiņš and Māris Kļaviņš, and…
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AI, optimism and the future of cities – What we learned this week
This week on the What is The Future for Cities? podcast, we investigated how cities are evolving and what it takes to shape their futures. Episode 329 explored a five-decade analysis of artificial intelligence (AI) in local governance, while Episode 330 featured an insightful interview with Thomas W. Sanchez, Professor of Landscape Architecture and Urban…
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The soul of cities: Five lessons on urban evolution and innovation
This week on the What is The Future for Cities? podcast, we embarked on a fascinating journey through urban evolution, exploring how cities have shaped humanity’s past and will guide its future. Episode 327, a research summary of Cities through the ages: One thing or many? by Michael E. Smith and José Lobo, delved into…
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The transformative power of public transport in shaping urban futures
This week on the What is The Future for Cities? podcast, we investigated the multifaceted role of public transport in shaping the cities of tomorrow. Through Episode 325, a research summary of Economic and Social Impacts of Public Transport Investments by Paulo Anciaes and Jacob Albin Korem Alhassan, and Episode 326, an insightful interview with…
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Shaping tomorrow’s cities: Lessons from Tanzania and AI’s urban frontier
Cities are the heartbeat of human progress, where ideas, economies, and communities collide. This week on the What is The Future for Cities? podcast, we explored two powerful perspectives on urban development: a 2017 study from Tanzania on long-term urban planning (Episode 323R) and an interview with Fin Moorhouse, a research fellow at Forethought, on…
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