Future Cities Imaginaries

Urban planning and policymaking are inherently future‑oriented, often shaped by imaginaries of what constitutes a good life, a good city, and a good citizen.

Policy imaginaries play a powerful role in defining urban problems, shaping which futures are prioritised, and determining which forms of action are seen as legitimate.  The effects are far‑reaching. Dominant imaginaries influence whose knowledge counts, frequently prioritising economic growth, short‑term indicators and expert‑led approaches while marginalising lived experience, equity concerns and historically excluded voices. They can also create gaps between ambitious visions and everyday realities, producing uneven outcomes across communities. Once embedded in planning systems and policy frameworks, these imaginaries gain authority and persistence, often sidelining alternative perspectives and forms of knowledge.

Crucially, imaginaries also shape public trust. When visions of the future feel distant from lived experience, trust in institutions can erode. By contrast, imaginaries grounded in everyday life and collective experience can help build trust by fostering recognition, inclusion and legitimacy. Rethinking and reshaping policy imaginaries is therefore essential to creating more just, inclusive and trusted urban futures.

Research focus

Focusing on London, this Priority Area examines: 

• How do planners and policymakers balance the predicted needs of ‘imagined’ future city dwellers with the needs of current residents and communities?
• How can we ‘imagine’ new forms of collaborative city-making through engagement with planning and policy?
• What alternative imaginaries open up more inclusive, diverse, and equitable urban futures?

Read more

• The London Prosperity Board: Rethinking prosperity with and for communities in east London
• Learn about the UCL Citizen Science Academy: Empowering citizen scientists to shape regeneration planning

Academic lead

Saffron Woodcraft is an urban anthropologist whose work examines how policymakers, planners, and placemakers conceptualise and represent urban communities through policy and planning frameworks.

Contact saffron.woodcraft@ucl.ac.uk to propose activities or connect with research under this Priority Area.