ideasSPACE

ideasSPACE with Maria Vassilakou on Urban Planning in Vienna

in conversation with Christopher Martin

 

“The quality, not the longevity, of one’s life is what is important.”

Martin Luther King, Jr.

As a result of 2020, next year and for years to come, quality of life will increasingly be the battle ground on which cities compete for visitors, residents, businesses, investment and success, as we search for environments that support our health and allow our families to flourish.

This means cities will have to evolve quickly, to refocus on shaping themselves as primarily places where people flourish - shaping themselves as extraordinary human habitats. Some cities like Vienna have a head start on this reimagining, so we wanted to speak with Maria Vassilakou about implementing fast urban change with local people to improve quality of life, and how other cities might get up to speed.

 

 

ideasSPACE is a series of in depth conversations hosted by Christopher Martin (UDG Exec, co-founder of Urban Movement) and produced in collaboration with our media partner, UrbanNous.

Urban Design Group Article - ideasSPACE with Maria Vassilakou on Urban Planning in Vienna by in conversation with Christopher Martin

Maria Vassilakou served as Vice-Mayor of Vienna, as well as Executive Councillor for Urban Planning, Traffic & Transport, Climate Protection, Energy Planning and Public Participation where she oversaw highly ambitious programmes that reimagined the city and sustained it as one of the leading cities in Europe today in terms of quality of life.

She is also Founder of Vienna Solutions where she applies these lessons around the world.