The Century of Cities

The Century of Cities welcomes Tim Williams, Cities Lead at Grimshaw and a leading voice in global urban strategy, to explore how cities move through cycles of growth, decline, and reinvention. Drawing on his upbringing in the South Wales Valleys and years advising governments in the UK and Australia, Tim reflects on the shift from industrial cities built on extraction to contemporary urban economies shaped by knowledge, lifestyle, and connectivity. He emphasizes that urban change is rarely linear and that periods of transition often involve loss, uncertainty, and uneven outcomes.
Tim offers a sharp critique of the global housing crisis, arguing that it cannot be solved by supply alone. He explains how the over-financialization of housing and a disconnect between public expectations and private-sector business models have created a systemic impasse. Rather than blaming developers, Tim calls for a broader mix of housing delivery models, including a renewed role for non-market housing and stronger public-sector capacity. Looking ahead, he warns that many cities may soon face a new reality, managing stagnation or decline and urges more honest international dialogue about how cities adapt when growth is no longer guaranteed.

Alice Charles, Director, Cities, Planning & Design at Arup, joins The Century of Cities from Dublin to reflect on how Irish cities, and cities globally, have evolved. Grounded in a career spanning regeneration, infrastructure, and global urban systems, Alice traces Ireland's shift from economic stagnation and brain drain to foreign direct investment, car-led growth, and today's housing and governance challenges. Alice argues for more empowered, outward-looking cities, with stronger local leadership, long-term investment, and deeper city-to-city collaboration, particularly with Asia and Africa. Drawing on global networks like C40 and the Resilient Cities Network, she highlights climate action, health, accessibility, and infrastructure finance as defining priorities for the urban century ahead.

The Century of Cities welcomes Andrew Carter, Chief Executive of Centre for Cities, who reflects on how UK cities have evolved, and why uneven progress still defines the urban landscape. He traces the shift from industrial decline and urban decay to a renewed belief in cities as drivers of economic growth, powered by the knowledge economy and higher education. Andrew emphasizes that this revival was not inevitable, but the result of long-term structural change and deliberate policy choices. He argues that deeper devolution, especially greater control over transport, planning, and funding, is essential if cities are to unlock productivity and inclusion. While elected mayors and combined authorities have moved the agenda forward, he warns that without real fiscal autonomy, many UK cities will continue to lag behind their European peers. His message is clear: empowered cities, strong public transport, and well-managed density are central to national renewal.

Carlos Moreno, a scientist, urban planner, and professor internationally recognized for developing the concept of the 15-minute city, joins The Century of Cities to reflect on how urban life is being reshaped by climate urgency, digital transformation, and changing patterns of daily living. He explains why proximity-based urbanism is not about a fixed number of minutes, but about identifying essential daily needs, strengthening local access, and reconnecting people to place while preserving citywide and regional services through public transport.
Carlos situates the present moment as a critical turning point for cities, where climate change, housing precarity, poverty, and social isolation increasingly intersect. He argues that proximity is not simply about distance, but about belonging, dignity, and social connection. His message is clear: the future of cities depends not only on infrastructure, but on reshaping urban lifestyles to support inclusion, connection, and collective life.

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.