Can environmental sustainability be achieved without sacrificing living standards?
Bjarke Ingels, Danish architect, founder and creative partner of Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG):
"It has been proven that, beyond a doubt, we have the capacity as the human race to cause massive impact at a planetary scale. That also means that with great power comes great responsibility… Now we have to find smart ways of making our cities resilient. Hedonistic sustainability is the idea that you can actually be sustainable but increase the quality of life while doing so. The same goes with resilience. You have to find smart ways of providing all these necessary safety measures, but do it in a way that advances the human project and creates a wonderful framework for human life."
What is the role of the city's architects and planners? What should they consider?
Joseph Grima, co-founder of the Italian design studio Space Caviar and architect, creative director of Design Academy Eindhoven and art critic:
"Designers have a decisive role to play in envisioning the possibilities of future habitats, and they could start by conceiving alternatives to the radically decentralised geographies of contemporary material production and consumption."
Bjarke Ingels, Danish architect, founder and creative partner of Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG):
"When something doesn’t fit anymore, we, architects, have the ability – and responsibility – to make sure that our cities do not force us to adapt to outdated leftovers from the past, but actually fit to the way we want to live."
ArchDaily, (accessed 08.11.2022).
On November 15, 2022, the world population reached 8 billion people, according to the UN estimates. The humanity is expected to cross the 8.5 billion mark by 2030, and peak at 10.4 billion by 2080.
Ma Yansong, founder of China's most famous architectural firm, MAD Architects, a professor at Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture:
"I don’t like what has happened to our cities, as this is the result of us having followed modernism for such a long time. Everything has started to look the same and lacks an inner spirituality. Nowadays, function is prioritized over nature and emotions. My architecture is about making a statement. But we are not making a building as an object, we are trying to create a landscape inside the urban environment. I derive my inspiration from traditional Chinese architecture where nature is an integral part of daily life in the city. I am looking for ways to adapt the Chinese traditions of blending nature and architecture to contemporary architecture on urban scale."
Another widely discussed concept of the city of the future is the "15-Minute City." What principles should such a city be built upon?
Carlos Moreno, French-Colombian urbanist, researcher at Pantheon-Sorbonne University, popularizer of the 15-Minute City concept:
"We need to rethink cities around the four guiding principles that are the key building blocks of the 15-minute city. First, ecology: for a green and sustainable city. Second, proximity: to live with reduced distance to other activities. Third, solidarity: to create links between people. Finally, participation should actively involve citizens in the transformation of their neighborhood… First, the rhythm of the city should follow humans, not cars. Second, each square meter should serve many different purposes. Finally, neighborhoods should be designed so that we can live, work and thrive in them without having to constantly commute elsewhere."
The UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs forecasts that 68 % of the world's population will be living in cities by 2050. Today this figure stands at 55 %; that is, there are about 4.2 billion urban dwellers in the world.
Do architects need to study the past in search of the future?
Norman Foster, British architect and designer, winner of the Pritzker Prize:
"Architecture is an expression of values – the way we build is a reflection of the way we live. This is why vernacular traditions and the historical layers of a city are so fascinating, as every era produces its own vocabulary. Sometimes we have to explore the past to find inspiration for the future. At its most noble, architecture is the embodiment of our civic values… Our work might provide some references from the past for future generations – we have yet to see a complete understanding of the impact of environmental issues on architecture."
Ma Yansong, founder of China's most famous architectural firm, MAD Architects, a professor at Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture:
"Architecture for me is a conversation, in which I look back to the past and project my ideas into the future. Architecture is art, attitude, and emotions. All these things need to be linked."
Can we talk about some kind of universal approach to city design?
Norman Foster, British architect and designer, winner of the Pritzker Prize:
"The model for every city must be different – there is no one-size-fits-all approach to urban development. However, there are common problems, and cities can learn from one another – one of the most important lessons, in terms of reducing energy and creating a walkable, enjoyable city, is density."
Will the city of the future, the eco-city, promote civic engagement? What is needed for that?
Norman Foster, British architect and designer, winner of the Pritzker Prize:
"We
