The online International Colloquium focuses on the intersections of urban studies, ecology, and scientific and technological foresight. Cities are facing complex challenges, such as the climate crisis, multiplicity of risks, accelerating pace of urbanisation and social issues such as inequalities and migration. This urges us to create an environment for dialogue where we can question not only how cities will change but also what futures are we preparing for. In the colloquium Trends for Future Cities, we seek to debate current trends in order to explore possible urban futures.
We will confront contemporary narratives about “smart”, “green”, or “resilient” cities with constraints of planetary boundaries, geopolitical uncertainties, the roadmap of the global programme, and local experiences.
Together we will discuss current challenges and opportunities in different countries, contexts and structures. The central idea is simple: there is no single urban future, but multiple competing trajectories — and our task is to clarify which trends weaken cities and which can help make them inclusive, safe, resilient, sustainable and truly regenerative.