It’s time for a purpose case approach to city making

In his talk Carlo will advocate the need to move towards a ‘purpose case’ approach to city making which recognises the need to put quality of life and wellbeing at the core of what we do, through the holistic integration of economic, social, environmental and cultural values.

Carlo will underscore the necessity of moving beyond traditional metrics of success, which often prioritize economic growth at the expense of social and environmental considerations. By illustrating his points with case studies and initiatives where bold visions incorporate social environmental and cultural value in long term economic development, changing the way we measure success, he will demonstrate practical strategies for embedding social, environmental, and cultural values into urban development processes.

His presentation will address how these values are highly spatialised in cities and that integrating different disciplines and employing system thinking is crucial in achieving innovative and impactful urban outcomes, thanks to the support of digital platforms that help us embrace the complexities of the urban environment.

Through examples of successful projects and initiatives, such as Edinburgh City Centre Transformation Plan and Meridian Water, as well as recent bold initiatives like the New London Agenda by NLA, Carlo will showcase how cities can enhance social cohesion, promote environmental sustainability and celebrate cultural diversity while simultaneously fostering economic prosperity. By adopting a purpose-driven and collaborative mindset, urban planners, policymakers and built environment professionals can ensure that their actions contribute to the holistic well-being of current and future generations, ultimately creating cities that are participatory, vibrant, inclusive and resilient.

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Carlo Castelli is an architect and masterplanner with 25 years’ experience delivering innovative urban solutions across the global built environment. He leads and advises teams on major international and interdisciplinary urban projects at various scales, applying his particular expertise in spatial strategies and socio-economic and transport-related development.

He advocates a ‘purpose case’ approach to city-making to enhance quality of life and wellbeing through the holistic integration of economic, social, environmental and cultural values. He is actively engaged in the urban debate – moderating, participating and curating panels as well as speaking regularly at international conferences.

Carlo also co-chairs the Urban Land Institute’s Urban Regeneration Council for Europe and sits on the LSE Global Real Estate Group’s Executive Committee, as well as the World Smart Cities Forum (WSCF) advisory board.

Carlo has provided strategic advice and leadership to some of the world’s most important urban projects, including a UNDP capacity-building programme for the city of Riyadh, the New London Agenda with the NLA, the Edinburgh City Centre Transformation Plan (with Jacobs), the Suburban Rail Loop in Melbourne (with Jacobs), the Meridian Water regeneration project in London (with Jacobs), the redevelopment agreement process of 1 million sqm of strategic rail sites in Milan (with AECOM).

The talk is chaired by Lucy Bullivant Hon FRIBA, Trustee, Temple Bar Trust.

This event includes a networking reception with the speaker and audience members following the talk.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Temple Bar, First Floor, Paternoster Lodge, London, United Kingdom