Reinvigorating the Suburbs: Championing Diversity, Density and more Dynamic Lifestyles

The post-pandemic world is undergoing unprecedented change in urban life and social interaction. Multiple questions are arising regarding the future of cities and the relationships of the people that inhabit them. In fact, the very existence of cities has come into question.  Are they good for us? Are they too dense? Are they resilient to change in these unpredictable times? And most importantly, how can we rethink their design to improve human interaction, collaboration and a sense of community?

This talk focuses this debate around the outer edges of our growing metropolitan areas and ‘hacking’ the suburbs to establish more poly-centric cities with hyper-connectivity.  The dialogue will also aim to dispel conspiracies around the 15-minute city neighbourhood concept.  Key themes, guiding principles and case study projects will illustrate how creating more balanced communities – mixed in use and flexible, meeting everyone’s needs without traveling long distances – can play out in a wide variety of international contexts.

This event is part of The Bartlett School of Planning (BSP) public lecture series, held regularly throughout the academic year. Speakers are drawn from across the world to showcase recent ideas and research. Find out more about the series and upcoming events.