I am glad to share that I have officially completed the online course 'Street Experiments for Sustainable and Resilient Cities' by the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and EIT Urban Mobility, taught by Benjamin Büttner, PhD, and Ana Rivas, MA. This course provided me with valuable insights into how we can use street experiments to create more sustainable and resilient cities.
Over four weeks, I explored:
1. Raising Awareness: Understanding how to achieve more livable, green, and enjoyable cities.
2. Knowing Street Experiments: Learning to create and reimagine urban spaces.
3. Implementing Street Experiments: Putting concepts into action.
4. Evaluating Street Experiments: Assessing efforts to drive systemic change.
I'm excited to apply these learnings to contribute to the development of vibrant, sustainable urban environments.
4 YEARS!
Dear Institute friends, collaborators and partners! We are grateful for your support and appreciation of our manifold projects and initiatives. By working together, we can achieve a more sustainable and resilient urban future. Urban transformation is not a linear path but a complex, multifaceted journey that requires collaboration, resilience, perseverance, an orchestrated approach and ambitious pilot projects.
As we celebrate the 4th anniversary of the Next-Generation Cities Institute, we recognize the significant progress we have made, but we are equally conscious that our journey has just begun.
We are building a #community of incomparable thinkers and doers committed to co-creating a better future. Through groundbreaking research, collaborative projects, and #partnerships across academia, industry, civil society organizations and governments, we've seen tangible results that align with our vision for a more sustainable future.
Innovative Research Initiatives: We were involved in several research projects that addressed critical issues such as sustainable #energy solutions, green building technologies, and #decarbonization strategies tailored to urban environments
Cross-Disciplinary Partnerships: From urban planners and environmental scientists to engineers and #policy experts, the Institute has facilitated collaborations that bring diverse perspectives together. These efforts have led to holistic solutions integrating technology, policy, and community engagement to achieve meaningful change.
Policy Impact: We’ve contributed to shaping local, regional, and global policy discussions on urban sustainability, advocating for approaches that prioritize environmental health and social equity.
Global Recognition: Our work has garnered attention from urban and industry leaders, decision-makers, and institutions, placing the Institute at the forefront of urban sustainability discourse.
None of this would have been possible without our partners, collaborators, and supporters. We are deeply grateful for the commitment and dedication of all who have joined us on this mission to transform cities for the better.
#Together, we celebrate the successes we have already achieved and look forward to those yet to come! As we continue on this path, we invite our friends, collaborators, and partners to engage with us in new and exciting ways. Whether through research, project collaborations, or policy advocacy, there are countless opportunities for each of us to contribute to the transformative work ahead.
The work we do today will shape the cities of tomorrow—cities that are carbon-neutral but also #resilient, #inclusive, and #thriving. Together, we can turn this vision into reality.
Thank you for being part of this incredible journey!
Concordia University
🔗 cross departmental collaboration is one of the pillar of co-creation, and it is also one of the key element that the URBREATH Horizon Europe Project is willing to overcome.
💪🏼 Cross collaboration helps in breaking the traditional way of decision-making processes, but it is also very difficult to achieve. Nevertheless, the city of Madrid is putting a lot of effort in breaking these silos, integrating different expertise and knowledge to support #sustainable development and #nbsimplementation in neighbourhood.
💻 how to overcome this institutional organisation, making local authorities more aware of cross-collaboration?
And how to design institutional (minor)changes that might evolve in the long run, enabling new approaches towards a changing institution and its performances?
The platform we are working on could help.
Stay tuned!
#climatechange#naturebasedsolutions#urbreath
Earlier in January, we held our first City to City Learning Session, led by the Madrid cluster, focusing on Cross-Departmental Working & Strategy. The session explored how cities can break silos and integrate Nature-Based Solutions into urban planning.
Through presentations and vibrant discussions, participants shared strategies and frameworks for sustainable urban development.
A big thank you to the City Council, Dark Matter Labs, Traza Consultoría, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, and BASURAMA and all attendees for making this a great start to our series. Stay tuned for the next session!
#URBREATH_eu#HorizonEU#NatureBasedSolutions#SustainableCities
[⭕🤖] Mi latest article: "The Urban Wanderer: I come from the future of cities”. A letter from 2050 to a young group of urbanists in 2024.
In this round trip from the future, I offer some insights into the evolution of urban life up to 2050, the profound impacts of technology, especially Artificial Intelligence, on cities, urban spaces and society, along with the challenges posed by digitalization, tech-induced human laziness and extreme surveillance.
Thanks for sharing it. Keep going.
⭕ https://lnkd.in/dMbHaPWQ
When you think of a science lab, does a skyscraper come to mind? Richard Walder discusses the new life for labs in cities, in an article with Property Week.
Laboratories have traditionally been located in science parks across the UK, populating areas like Oxford and Cambridge.
Discussing the new wave of laboratories moving to the city centre in areas such as Canary Wharf, White City and Kings Cross, Richard Walder, Partner, Buro Happold, said: “Today’s labs are unrecognisable from the huge out-of-town research parks of yesteryear.
“They are evolving and adapting to life in the city, moving into spaces usually associated with offices and not so much with scientific research facilities.
“The pull of the city has been substantial.”
Buro Happold is currently working with Kadans Science Partner, who are part of a joint venture with Canary Wharf Group on the One North Quay development, a 22-storey purpose-built laboratory in Canary Wharf. On this project, Richard notes how, “lab in the sky developments such as One North Quay will have a magnetising effect, attracting further investment and creating new cluster hotspots in the capital.”
Discussing the benefits of city-based labs, Richard says the move to urban areas is, “bringing about an era of collaboration not seen before.”
Read more in the Property Week article below.
#labs#science#urbanareas#urbanliving#engineering#BuroHappold#LifesSciences#HealthcareScienceTechnology#HST
Did you know that Amsterdam is the bicycle capital of the world?* But it hasn’t always been the case.
After activists started protesting because of all the casualties that cars caused, the government stepped in.* It became evident that the government and municipalities play a key role in ensuring the safety of its citizens.
Nowadays, cities are faced with new complex challenges such as sustainability and housing shortages. How can cities better support its citizens’ happiness and sustainability?
At TheRockGroup (TRG), we believe rethinking urban systems is essential to building sustainable, thriving societies. Last summer, our colleagues Cas Smitsmans and Daphne Truijens led the Circular Cities Summer School at the University of Amsterdam.
During this 3-week course, participants analysed cities as dynamic ecosystems, focusing on material, water, and energy flows. They explored how innovative urban design and governance can shape sustainability.
In the first edition of The Summer School Times, a magazine based on all the experiences of last Summer School, Cas reflected on an important question: what does happiness mean in the context of circular cities?
He challenges us to consider:
💡 Can individual happiness exist without thriving communities and environments?
💡 Is happiness sustainable, or is it bound by time and place?
💡 How can cities foster connection, resilience, and purpose?
“Like a tree, cities must be deeply connected to their surroundings to truly thrive.” Within cities, inspiring examples like Buurtbuik show how social cycles of care, education, and shared resources can help us build more resilient, meaningful urban spaces.
Through programs like the Circular Cities Summer School, we provide participants with the tools and perspectives needed to question systems, develop solutions, and lead sustainable change. True progress starts by redefining not just how we live, but what we value.
Interested in what educational programmes we offer? Have a look at our website via the link in the comments.
📖 Read the full magazine with Cas' reflection in The Summer School Times (p. 29), see link in the comments.
#circulareconomy#sustainability#urbanplanning#education
As cities strive for sustainability and resilience, digital twin technology is emerging as a powerful tool for effective urban planning. At the upcoming Smart City Expo World Congress 2024, URBREATH will feature as a case study in a specialised training led by our partner, the City of Leuven (stad Leuven), showcasing how digital twins can revolutionise urban decision-making.
Taking place on 7-8 November, the training is organised by Eurocities Academy in collaboration with the Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC-CNS). Attendees will explore how digital twins simulate urban environments, providing a virtual model to analyse impacts on infrastructure, air quality, and community health.
Stay tuned for more updates on this exciting session and the URBREATH project’s advancements in environmental resilience!
#URBREATH_eu
A couple of weeks ago, I presented my final piece of work as a Global Studies student at Universitat Pompeu Fabra. After a year of hard work and personal growth, I'm excited to share my final thesis with you all. Discover how integrating cemeteries into Toronto's urban landscape can enhance urban resilience and help achieve SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).
#SustainableCities#UrbanPlanning#SDG11#CemeteriesInCitieshttps://lnkd.in/dntYP-nd
Discover the Blueprint of Tomorrow at the Rising Cities: Smart Future Conference 2024!
Our colleagues at Business Review are excited to invite you to the Rising Cities: Smart Future Conference, presented by Business Review Magazine, set for May 30, 2024, at Pentagon Events.
This landmark conference will bring together urban innovators, technology experts, and policymakers to explore the future of urban living. Join us as we delve into how smart technologies and sustainable practices are reshaping our cities into more efficient, inclusive, and resilient environments.
About Rising Cities: Smart Future Conference 2024:
Embark on a journey through urban innovation where advanced technology meets sustainable urban development. This conference isn't just about envisioning future cities—it’s about creating them today. Experience powerful sessions on smart buildings, sustainable community planning, circular economies, and the cutting-edge technologies driving the smart city evolution.
Urban Realm begins 2025 at scale with the reveal of UR100, a century of the top practices to watch. More than just a list of the biggest and best our dynamic representation of the architecture profession shows who has made the greatest strides and the new entrants to watch for.
Away from the limelight, we make time to cover the less glamorous side of urbanity from the introduction of a new citizen science tool to map poverty and visit a disused torpedo testing range in Arrochar, where some tourism-related projects have been testing the waters.
This limbers us up for our in-depth look at accessibility, an exploration of how provisions can and should extend beyond a bolt-on ramp. A varied series of building reviews run with these concepts, from Edinburgh’s data-driven Usher Institute to the community-led Strathblane Library and East Calder Primary, which is triangulating a fresh approach to economics, education and energy.
Have a look at our full list of features: https://lnkd.in/eNKZp4qj
If you still didn't get your copy you can order it now from our book store.
Mechanical or Industrial Engineering
9moHearty congratulations Amma Alekhya, keep going. All the best in your future endeavours.