Urban Research Unit: Culture in the Future City
Seventh Urban Research Unit panel event of 2014
2015
Urban Research Unit (URU) is a joint initiative from Grimshaw Architects and Futurecity aimed at developing a fresh approach for intelligent and creative urban placemaking within the context of New York and London.
Articulated as a series of nine panel discussions, aimed at considering and challenging the conventional approach used to plan and develop contemporary urban centres, the URU has invited participants to devise a toolkit of key issues and considerations to be applied as New York and London’s urban environments prepare for the future.
Resulted from the work carried out over two years, the exhibition ‘Growing the Future City’ (29th May– 4th August, The Gallery at Foyles) invites enquiry and debate about the future of London as the population continues to increase. Co-curated by Grimshaw Architects and Futurecity, the exhibition explores six city growth themes around navigating, working, playing, learning, greening, and housing, with ideas for the future as well as real-world projects demonstrating ways in which sustainability and culture can be woven into the urban fabric.
During the course of the exhibition, on Thursday 18th June, the ninth and final URU event also took place, hosting a debate on future models of development for smarter, greener and better designed cities. Chaired by Matthew Taylor (Chief Executive, RSA), the panel included: Claire Cockerton (Founder, CEO and Chairwoman of ENTIQ and Co-Creator, Level 39), David Hutton (Group Development Director, Asia and Europe, Lend Lease), Donald Hyslop (Head of Regeneration and Community Partnerships, Tate Modern), and Lance Jay Brown (ACSA Distinguished Professor, CCNY).
Watch the 8 Urban Research Unit lectures available online, get inspired and share your ideas tweeting to @futurecityblog using the hashtag #growingmycity:
