Prof Lauren Andres delivers a keynote at the Institut Universitaire de France (IUF) in Besançon

Overview

The Institut Universitaire de France (IUF) recently hosted its annual conference in Besançon, a city renowned for its horological heritage, bringing together scholars from across disciplines to explore the concept of time. The event featured contributions from fields as diverse as physics, biology, epidemiology, engineering, linguistics, philosophy, history, sociology, economics, the arts and design, reflecting the IUF’s mission to promote cross-disciplinary research and decentralise academic excellence across French universities.

Representing The Bartlett School of Planning, Professor Lauren Andres delivered a keynote titled “Time in Urbanism: Between the Transitory and the Permanent.” Her talk examined how urbanism is shaped by the tension between long-term planning and the increasing need for adaptability in the face of uncertainty, crisis and transformation. 

Professor Andres argued for the growing importance of temporary urbanism – the strategic, adaptive use of urban space in response to evolving societal needs. Drawing on case studies from Europe and North America, she illustrated how temporary uses can activate underutilised spaces, nurture resilience, and support inclusive urban futures, while also posing governance and policy challenges.

Her presentation called for a rethinking of how time is conceptualised in urban planning – one that embraces flexibility, layered temporalities and the transformative potential of the temporary. The talk drew on insights from her forthcoming monograph, Adaptable Cities and Temporary Urbanisms (Columbia University Press).