Susan Aitken: Glasgow's Reinvention and the Future of City Leadership
In this episode of The Century of Cities, we are joined by Susan Aitken, Leader of Glasgow City Council. Susan reflects on the dramatic shift in how cities are perceived. Once viewed as distressed places marked by deindustrialization, population loss, and narratives of decline, cities are now recognized as hubs of innovation, diversity, and economic resilience, and as the places best positioned to solve society's biggest challenges. She highlights Glasgow's remarkable renaissance, from its cultural revival to its leadership on climate action, equity, and just transition. Susan points to the city's resilience and the grit of its people as the driving forces behind its reinvention. Looking ahead, she envisions a Glasgow built on clean industries, inclusivity, and improved health, while cautioning that global pressures like climate shocks and mass migration will continue to land hardest in urban areas. Her message is clear: cities hold the solutions, but they need the powers, resources, and collective voice to deliver them.
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27:12
Felipe Correa: Density, Design, and the Cities of the Future
The Century of Cities welcomes Felipe Correa, architect, author, and founder of Somatic Collaborative. Felipe reflects on why 1980 marked a pivotal shift in urbanization, as the explosive post-war expansion of cities gave way to slower growth, new planning logics, and a more diverse design toolkit. From Latin America to Asia, he illustrates how procedural planning, emerging urban scales, and a renewed focus on inner-city form reshaped the trajectory of cities entering the 21st century. Today, he argues, two forces define the urban landscape: the rapid rise of intermediate-scale cities and the widening pressures of environmental uncertainty. Migration, climate-driven risk, and even the influence of the insurance industry are quietly but profoundly reshaping the built environment. Felipe remains optimistic about cities' remarkable ability to bring people together, yet he emphasizes that the future depends on rethinking density, reinvesting in shared infrastructure, and training a new generation of architects who can visualize and communicate transformative change.
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22:50
Carlo Ratti: Rethinking Urban Life Through Nature, Technology, and AI
In this episode of The Century of the Cities, Carlo Ratti, Architect, Engineer, MIT professor, and Director of the Senseable City Lab, joins us to explore how data, design, and emerging technologies are reshaping urban life. Carlo reflects on the rise of the "big boom cities" and discusses how urbanization has evolved, from the moment global population tipped into majority-urban to today's era of shrinking populations, climate pressure, and the need for smarter, more adaptive cities. Carlo explains how real-time data, AI, and interdisciplinary research are transforming how we understand cities. He argues that the greatest breakthroughs will come from forging a new alliance between the natural and the artificial, and from embracing open, iterative, trial-and-error innovation.
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Sally Capp: Leadership, Livability, and the Future of Melbourne
Sally Capp, former Lord Mayor of Melbourne and management consultant, joins us on the Century of Cities to reflect on leadership, livability, and the transformation of cities through vision and action. As the first woman directly elected as Lord Mayor, Sally led Melbourne through one of its most defining chapters, the pandemic, while championing inclusion, innovation, and community connection. She shares lessons from her time in office on how to build vibrant, people-centred cities, the importance of independent leadership, and the power of focusing on what can be done rather than what can't. Sally envisions cities that are dynamic, sustainable, and deeply human places that inspire a sense of belonging, pride, and purpose for all who call them home.
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Enrique Peñalosa: Building Cities for Equality and Happiness
The Century of Cities welcomes Enrique Peñalosa, globally recognized urban visionary and two-time mayor of Bogotá. Known for transforming Colombia's capital through public transit, parks, libraries, and bike infrastructure, Enrique shares his belief that cities are among our most powerful tools for equality and happiness. He reflects on how thoughtful design can bridge social divides, not only through taxation or policy, but by creating public spaces where people meet as equals. Enrique calls on future urban leaders to build cities that nurture dignity, interaction, and joy, especially as rapidly growing regions like Africa and India continue to urbanize. His vision is of cities that are inclusive, democratic, and fertile grounds for human potential, places where everyone, regardless of income, can thrive.
Welcome to The Century of Cities, a captivating journey fueled by curiosity into humanity's most profound transformation: urban evolution. By 2100, 10 billion people will live in over 10,000 cities. What shape will that world take? This 100-episode series explores the forces driving this shift through illuminating interviews and compelling stories, revealing how cities can lead us toward a sustainable, inclusive, and resilient world.
New Zealand