How New Technology and Approaches Are Changing Spatial Planning

Until recently, cities were too complex to analyse scientifically. New tools are changing that, using an example from the Maldives.

Until very recently, cities and regions have largely been too complex to understand scientifically, with design and strategy resorting very often to intuition. This has led to many significant issues - low resilience & sustainability, poorly targeted investment, and worse outcomes for people and the planet. New tools and approaches are beginning to change this - this talk outlines some of the ways things are changing using the recent National Development Plan in the Maldives as an example of this.

The talk will follow three key areas:

How is planning changing globally and what are the high-level opportunities?
Oscar McDonald, Director - OMC Consulting, Principal - Urban Intelligence Lab

What is the future of tools, analysis, and visual communication in planning and urban design?
Parth Mehta, Project M - Lead developer and Spatial data analyst, Urban Designer - Prior and Partners

How have these tools and approaches been applied in the context of real-world planning and strategy?
Ishan Saeed, Director - Atollscape, Lead Spatial Planner - Maldives National Development Plan

Chaired by Meenakshi Bhagat, Fellow Member IUDI.

Organised by Urban Design Group and Institute of Urban Designers India