Urbanistica Podcast - Cities for People

I used the voice function in ChatGPT to talk with the AI. The voice you hear in the episode is generated by a machine, not a real person. So crazy! I chat with ChatGPT about the future of the Placemaking movement and how AI can help design more vibrant, community-driven public spaces. __⁠ Keep Up the Good Work. Keep Loving Cities ❤️️ All opinions expressed in each episode are personal to the guest...

This episode is from the Innovation Summit in the Social Housing Sector 2025 in Bahrain. I was honored to be invited to the Innovation Summit in the Social Housing Sector 2025, held from April 23 to 25 at Exhibition World Bahrain. The summit served as a dynamic platform for exploring innovative solutions in social housing, aligning with Bahrain's Economic Vision 2030. Key topics included sustainab...

This topic will be discussing improving the sustainability of social housing using innovative technologies and approaches to housing design, construction, financing and management. From the development of eco-friendly building materials to the implementation of a smart city concepts exploring strategies to design eco-friendly housing while integrating new technologies, green spaces and community a...

الأطر التنظيمية القوية ضرورية للتنمية الناجحة واستدامة الإسكان الاجتماعي. ستتناول هذه الجلسة دور التشريعات في صياغة سياسات إسكان فعّالة، وضمان القدرة على تحمّل التكاليف، وتعزيز مشاركة القطاع الخاص. سيناقش خبراء من القطاعات الحكومية والقانونية والإسكانية أفضل الممارسات لسد الفجوة بين تصميم السياسات وتنفيذها على أرض الواقع، مع التطرق إلى التحديات المتعلقة بالتمويل، والامتثال، والصيانة طويلة الأمد. ...

Camilla Berggren-Tarrodi , projektledare på RISE, berättar om det europeiska initiativet NEB Academy – ett utbildningsnätverk kopplat till EU:s New European Bauhaus . Hon förklarar hur NEB Academy arbetar för att rusta framtidens yrkesverksamma med kunskap och verktyg för att bygga ett klimatneutralt, inkluderande och vackert Europa till 2050. Samtalet handlar om RISE roll i projektet, vilka utbil...

أميمة الطائي ، المصممة الحضرية والكاتبة والباحثة في التنمية الحضرية المستدامة، تفتح نقاشًا دقيقًا ومثيرًا للجدل حول سياحة العشوائيات أو سياحة المناطق الفقيرة . نغوص في تعريف هذا النوع من السياحة، ولماذا أصبح يحظى باهتمام عالمي متزايد في السنوات الأخيرة، وعلاقته المباشرة بالتحولات الحضرية السريعة، وعدم العدالة في توزيع الموارد. تناقش أميمة التوتر بين تحويل الفقر إلى منتج سياحي (تسليع الفقر) وبين إم...

Mohammad Hammash & Filip Momikj, Founders of Stripping Architecture We explore what it means to “strip architecture” down to its essentials and challenge dominant urban design paradigms. With activist undertones, artistic experimentation, and sharp critique, Mohammad and Filip offer a fresh lens on how we shape our cities—and how our cities shape us. We also dive into their publications, inclu...

Journalist and author Chris Berdik joins to discuss his new book CLAMOR: How Noise Took Over the World – and How We Can Take It Back , a powerful investigation into how everyday noise has become a public health crisis—and what cities can do about it. Berdik unpacks why noise is more than just loudness, explaining how rhythm, frequency, and context all shape our experience of sound. He explores how...

Dr. Mina Sartipi, founding director of the Center for Urban Informatics and Progress (CUIP) at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. A national leader in smart city research, Dr. Sartipi shares how her team is using AI and real-time data to transform urban mobility and safety. We explore Chattanooga’s groundbreaking Smart Corridor and the city's plan to scale lidar-enabled, AI-powered tr...

Lejla Cengic, stadsarkitekt och arkitekt SAR/MSA i Sollentuna kommun. Vi får ta del av Lejlas resa inom arkitektur och stadsutveckling, och hur hon arbetar för att skapa en hållbar, vacker och inkluderande stadsmiljö i en av Stockholms snabbast växande kommuner. Lejla delar med sig av sina reflektioner kring stadsarkitektens roll i den kommunala organisationen, samarbetet med invånare och politike...

This episode features Malcolm Larri, a dynamic coach, speaker, and consultant who helps individuals and organizations thrive through change. With deep insight into human psychology and a passion for inspiring transformation, Malcolm shares what it means to lead with courage and clarity in today’s fast-moving world. 🔹 How do you pitch ideas that truly land? 🔹 What does brave leadership look like...

Thomas Sandell,chefsarkitekt, arkitekt SIR/MSA och en av grundarna till Sandellsandberg arkitekter. I ett reflekterande samtal delar han sina tankar om framtidens arkitektur: vad som oroar honom idag, vilka uttryck han tror vi kommer se mer eller mindre av framöver, och vad som egentligen kännetecknar god gestaltning. Vi pratar om teknik, klimat och kultur , vad kommer att forma arkitekturen mest?...

Albert Edman, Leader for Cities in Transition and Internationalisation Strategist at Viable Cities, as well as RISE North Sweden Coordinator. Together, we dive deep into how Swedish cities are working towards climate neutrality and how this links to the broader vision of the New European Bauhaus (NEB). We begin by unpacking Viable Cities: its mission, the cities involved, and how it operates withi...

We dive into PREFIGURE, an EU-funded research project exploring the intersection of housing inequality and energy poverty across seven European countries. Running from 2024 to 2027, PREFIGURE aims to reimagine how we create fairer, more sustainable cities through innovation, community knowledge, and just transitions. Joining us are Dr. Defne Kadioglu, researcher at Malmö University’s Institute for...

I det här avsnittet möter jag Markus Lagerhielm-Backman, projektledare på AFRY, i ett samtal om ledarskap, konflikthantering, teknikens påverkan på projektledning, och livet bakom titeln. Vi börjar med att dyka ner i projektledarrollens komplexitet. Är Markus främst en ledare, samordnare eller diplomat? Hur påverkas hans arbete av digitalisering och AI, och var går gränsen mellan nödvändig struktu...

Linnea Almroth, strateg inom social hållbarhet på AFRY. 🔹 Del 1: Citylab och hållbar stadsutveckling: Vi pratar om vad Citylab är, hur certifieringssystemet fungerar och vad det innebär att vara Citylabsamordnare. Linnea delar sina erfarenheter från projekt där Citylab använts, och vi pratar om hur verktyget bidrar till social hållbarhet i stadsplanering. 🔹 Del 2: Linnea som person: Vi får en in...

In today's episode, host Mustafa Sherif has the pleasure of welcoming architect, musician, and placemaking advocate Elise. Together, they explore the vibrant role that public art plays in transforming spaces into meaningful places. Elise shares her reflections on the difference between cities like Stockholm and Rotterdam, emphasizing the importance of embracing playfulness and community co-creatio...

Ryan K. Rosen, Founder and Creative Director of Friendly Futures, shares how bespoke community games can transform public spaces and bring people together in healthy, joyful ways. We talk about what inspired him to start Friendly Futures, why public spaces often bring people near each other but not truly together, and how his custom-designed games encourage natural interaction across all ages and...

Nadina Galle, an ecological engineer and the mind behind the Internet of Nature (IoN)—a global movement harnessing technology to restore and enhance urban ecosystems. Born in the Netherlands and raised in Canada, Nadina’s passion for nature conservation started young, influenced by urbanist thinkers like Jane Jacobs and James Howard Kunstler. We explore: How cities are losing nature faster than we...

Sandra Poelman Director of Glowing Places, trainer, speaker, coach, author, and podcast creator. Part 1: Placemaking in Action How Sandra defines placemaking and integrates it into her work The biggest challenges of introducing placemaking, especially when working with local governments The 9 key benefits of placemaking for cities, explained with real-life examples Exciting projects and plans for...

In this episode, I sit down with St eve Davies , a pioneering figure in placemaking and urban development. As Principal of Place Solutions Group, Affiliate at Market Cities (PPS), and President of The Placemaking Fund, Steve has spent decades shaping public spaces worldwide. We reflect on his journey in Project for Public Spaces (PPS)—what challenges he faced, how the placemaking movement evolved,...

I speak with Lars Marcus, Professor in Urban Design at Chalmers University of Technology and Fellow of the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences, about his latest book, Measures and Meanings of Spatial Capital. We discuss the concept of spatial capital—how the built environment functions as a form of capital that can enhance social, economic, and ecological resilience if designed with inte...

I speak with Pernilla Glaser (educator, therapist, and coach), about why play is essential, not just for personal well-being but for shaping better cities and places. We explore why playfulness and creativity are often undervalued in professional settings, how we can make urban planning processes more engaging, and what it takes to foster resilience in uncertain times. Pernilla also shares insight...

في هذه الحلقة، نتناول مع د. علي عبد الرءوف عدة محاور رئيسية تدور حول تجربته في الكتابة والتأليف في مجال العمارة والعمران باللغة العربية. نبدأ بالحديث عن الدوافع التي جعلته يختار الكتابة بلغته الأم بدلاً من الإنجليزية، ونتساءل عن مدى قدرة الكتب على الصمود أمام هيمنة وسائل التواصل الاجتماعي والفيديوهات القصيرة التي تختصر المعرفة في ثوانٍ معدودة. كما نستكشف التحديات التي تواجه الكتابة المتخصصة في هذا...

I detta avsnitt av podden samtalar jag med Mikael Söderberg , VD för Livräddande Utbildningar Sverige AB och skaparen av Hjärtstartarkiosken, en innovativ lösning för att göra hjärtstartare mer tillgängliga i offentliga miljöer. Vi pratar om vad som inspirerade Mikael att skapa Hjärtstartarkiosken och varför han valde just en kiosk som form. Han berättar om hur kiosken fungerar, vad som gör den un...