Stories from Notable Cities

Cities large and small are constantly trialling (and succeeding with) groundbreaking ideas, projects, and policies. We’ve located some of the most forward-thinking places that have been brave enough to test out innovations – and risk the failures. Among the challenges, they have faced outspoken opposition, financial constraints, ingrained behaviours, legislative hurdles, and setbacks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Their experiences in how they deal with this and much more can set other cities well on the way to change. So, whether you’re looking for stories about citizen participation, funding models, communication strategies, or the latest concepts and technical solutions, our Notable Cities are bound to be of interest.

Notable City Indianapolis: Incorporating Stormwater Management into City Culture

Indianapolis saw an opportunity. They had plans for a cultural trail, bringing arts, pride, and improved mobility options to the downtown area. This also handed the city a chance to deal with the amount...

Notable City: São Paulo – Water Challenges Along the Class Divide

São Paulo is a tale of two cities. A broken relationship with water has created a litany of challenges, which hit the sprawling favelas harder than the wealthy centre. The Secretary of Urbanism is...

Lyon Confluence: How a District is Retrofitting Heritage Buildings

SPL Lyon Confluence is carrying out a stand-out urban renewal project in a once-deprived district of central Lyon. Project Manager Etienne Vignali describes how this offers a significantly chance to undertake a large-scale decarbonisation...

Malmö: City of Construction Circularity

Sweden’s premier southwestern city Malmö is not only a crowning glory in Scandinavian architecture, nature, and quality of life, but also in sustainability. The city is gaining notoriety as a bastion in new construction...

Housing in Barcelona: Multiple Issues, Multiple Solutions!

Barcelona has long been plagued by housing issues. Now the city is fighting back. Equipped with an extensive plan, Barcelona wants to tackle a multitude of challenges. We sat down with the city’s housing...

Toronto: Diverse Residents in Complete Communities

Accommodating diverse groups of people within the same city poses a challenge. Toronto has managed to overcome it and continues to strive for a more inclusive and affordable housing market. We caught up with...

Vienna Calling: A Story of Gender Equality, Funding Structures, and School Streets

For the 10th consecutive time, Vienna was named the world's most liveable city in the Mercer Rankings of 2020. But does that also mean that the city is particularly pedestrian-friendly? We talked to Petra...

Notable City Skellefteå: The Sky’s the Limit… in Wood

One city in Sweden has been getting a lot of attention. The 20-storey plyscraper Sara kulturhus is one example of how notable city Skellefteå is pioneering the realms of wooden construction, but there’s a...

Bohemian Learning for Students: Sussex Roots

This group of students has decided to take matters – or shovels, to be precise – into their own hands. Students at the University of Sussex have established their own community garden, determined to...

How Bogotá Became Latin America’s Cycling Capital

Despite being ranked as the world’s most congested city, bicycles in Bogotá are blooming. This is the remarkable story of how the bicycle weaved its way through – and how it shook up social statuses...

Singapore’s Gardens by the Bay: Sustainable Building Meets Greenery

Gardens by the Bay: an award-winning green haven in the middle of Singapore. With its iconic architecture, innovative use of technologies, environmental sustainability, and horticultural displays, Singapore has established itself as one of our...

From Clogged to Car-Light: Giving the Streets Back to People in Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires is home to around 3 million citizens (more than 15 million if you count the Greater Buenos Aires area). How relevant is walkability for a city of that size? We spoke to...