Category: Weekly reflection
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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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Five lessons on AI and light cities for a smarter urban future
This week, we dove into the transformative power of artificial intelligence (AI) and visionary urban design with two compelling episodes. Episode 319’s research summary, Intelligent Urbanism with Artificial Intelligence (2023, Journal of Cloud Computing), explored AI’s practical applications in smart cities. Episode 320’s interview with Glenn Drew, CEO and founder of SQUIZZ.COM, TOTECS, and Connected…
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Redesigning cities: Five key lessons on charter cities
This week on the What is The Future for Cities? podcast, we investigated the transformative potential of charter cities—new urban centers designed with innovative governance, sustainable foundations, and a vision for resilience. Through episode 317’s research summary, Building Resilient Cities: The Role of Charter Cities in Promoting Resilient Urban Development by Eva Klaus and the…
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Rethinking waste: Urban mining and the future of cities
This week on the What is The Future For Cities podcast, we embarked on a deep dive into urban mining – a concept that challenges us to see our cities not as sprawling hubs of consumption and waste, but as treasure troves of untapped resources. Through two compelling episodes, we explored the potential and necessity…
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Nuclear energy and the future of cities: 5 lessons from this week
This week on the What is The Future For Cities podcast, we investigated nuclear energy from two angles: a research summary from Nuclear for Australia (Ep. 313) and an interview with financial expert Andrew Vass (Ep. 314). As cities face growing energy demands, climate challenges, and economic pressures, nuclear power emerges as a contender worth…
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Cities that thrive: Blending nature-positive action with regenerative vision
This week, we’ve explored a roadmap and a revolution for urban futures. Episode 311, “Nature Positive: Guidelines for the Transition in Cities,” and Episode 312 with Gilbert Rochecouste, founder of Village Well, paired data-driven urgency with human-centered imagination. Together, they’ve reshaped how I see cities – not as concrete traps, but as living systems we…
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Cities as Living Systems: A Week of Ecological and Visionary Insights
This week we’ve journeyed through two profound explorations of how urban spaces can evolve from mere infrastructure into living, breathing systems that sustain both humanity and the planet. Episode 309, “Ecological Urban Planning and Design: A Systematic Literature Review,” and Episode 310 with Dr. Stuart Cowan, Executive Director at Buckminster Fuller Institute, offered a dual…
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Quantum Cities? A Week with Chiara Marletto’s Big Ideas
This week, What is The Future for Cities? Podcast joined Podcasthon 2025, a global initiative supporting charities – we chose Chiara Marletto‘s quantum gravity experiments which can be supported through Wolfson College at the University of Oxford. Thus, we explored the intersection of physics and urban evolution through two compelling episodes. Episode 307 delves into…
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