The Century of Cities

Season 2 of The Century of Cities continues with part two of our in-depth conversation with Michael Storper, one of the world's leading economic geographers. In this episode, Michael turns his focus to governance, institutions, and the hard trade-offs shaping urban futures in the United States and Europe. Drawing on comparative insights from California, the Bay Area, Los Angeles, and major European regions, he examines how prosperity, inequality, and cultural path dependency collide in today's superstar cities.  Michael offers a rigorous critique of dominant housing narratives, arguing that supply-led solutions alone cannot resolve affordability in highly unequal urban economies. He contrasts American and European approaches, highlighting the role of social housing, construction innovation, and public-sector leadership in maintaining social mix and urban quality. The conversation expands to Europe's innovation dilemma, questioning whether the continent's urban system is structurally equipped to compete in a global knowledge economy while sustaining cohesion across regions. Throughout, Michael calls for greater honesty in urban policy debates, emphasizing that cities face real trade-offs that cannot be wished away. The future of cities depends not just on growth, but on institutions capable of managing complexity, inequality, and long-term transformation.

Season 2 of The Century of Cities begins with part one of a two-part conversation with Michael Storper, one of the world's leading economic geographers. Holding appointments at UCLA and the London School of Economics, Michael brings a long-term perspective to how cities evolve across distinct economic eras. He reflects on why many of today's most prosperous cities once faced deep decline, and why urban change must be understood through long cycles shaped by structural forces rather than short-term trends. In this episode, Michael introduces a clear framework for understanding today's urban landscape, distinguishing between superstar cities, second-tier metropolitan regions, and places that remain distressed. He explains why prosperity and inequality often rise together, how housing costs sit at the center of this tension, and why different types of cities require fundamentally different policy responses. He introduces the idea of the vanishing urban frontier, arguing that as cities approach peak urbanization, the challenge shifts from managing growth to sustaining opportunity, inclusion, and social mobility in a fully urban world.

The Century of Cities celebrates our 100th guest as we welcome Lord Norman Foster, one of the world's most influential architects and Founder and Executive Chairman of Foster + Partners. Drawing on six decades of practice, he traces the shift from gritty, industrial cities to cleaner, safer, and more mobile urban environments, shaped by digital technology, new forms of mobility, and changing patterns of density. While progress has been undeniable, Lord Foster warns that many cities have lost distinct identity, creativity, and affordability along the way. He makes a powerful case for rediscovering the lessons of the traditional city: compactness, mixed use, walkability, and strong public spaces. From Madrid and Vienna to London, Paris, and New York, he argues that density done well is not only more sustainable but also more joyful and socially resilient. He calls for a return to positive, big-picture planning, investing in infrastructure, embracing layered cities, and designing streets and neighbourhoods that support daily life and long-term health. His vision for the future is optimistic but clear-eyed: greener, quieter, more humane cities are possible, but only if technological innovation is matched with human-centred design and the courage to plan for generations to come.

Edward L. Glaeser, one of the world's leading urban economists and the Fred and Eleanor Glimp Professor of Economics at Harvard University, joins The Century of Cities to reflect on decades of research and his landmark work, Triumph of the City. He traces the arc from urban decline and deindustrialization to the resurgence of cities as centers of knowledge, creativity, and economic opportunity. Ed examines the most difficult challenges cities face, including housing affordability, climate risk, governance capacity, and social mobility. He offers a pragmatic framework for urban leadership, arguing that cities must generate economic value while investing deliberately in their most vulnerable residents. From making it easier to build housing at scale to strengthening public safety, upgrading institutions, and adapting new technologies, he emphasizes that cities require care, competence, and long-term commitment. Despite their vulnerabilities, he remains optimistic: cities, he argues, are humanity's greatest engines for reducing poverty, expanding opportunity, and shaping a more prosperous future.

The Century of Cities welcomes Andrés Rodríguez-Pose, Professor of Economic Geography and Regional Planning, to examine deep spatial inequalities shaping politics, prosperity, and trust in institutions across the world. Drawing on decades of research, Andrés explains how economic growth has become increasingly concentrated in a small number of cities and regions, while many places have been systematically left behind, creating what he describes as the "geography of discontent." He explores how neglecting these regions has fueled political polarization, social fragmentation, and rising distrust in democratic systems. Andrés challenges the assumption that growth alone will solve spatial inequality. He argues for place-sensitive policies that recognize the unique assets, constraints, and identities of different regions rather than one-size-fits-all solutions. From rethinking innovation policy to rebuilding local capacity and dignity, Andrés makes a compelling case that the future of cities, regions, and democracy itself depends on addressing territorial inequality head-on, and doing so with long-term commitment rather than short-term fixes.