URBAN DESIGN 100 Autumn 2006

For the 100th issue of URBAN DESIGN rather than look back over the past 26 years of ideas and articles, this extraordinary issue looks boldly into the future to life in 2031, when URBAN DESIGN will be publishing its 200th issue.

Twelve experts in various fields were invited to speculate on what life could be like in 2031, and what emerges from this challenging call is a rich and varied selection of ideas, scenarios and personal theories to focus our work for the years ahead. These are:

• Chris Luebkeman, Director for Global Foresight + Innovation at Arup Foresight Innovation and Incubation describes the findings of their Drivers for Change study
• Jon Lang, University of New South Wales describes his vision for the City in 2031 and also 2056 (when the 300th issue would be published)
• Professor Sir Peter Hall explain the importance of the city region in Britain 2031
• Professor David Banister illustrates the role of Smart Transport for Smart Cities
• Professor Bill Hillier explores the future of design research in The golden age for cities? How we design cities is how we understand them
• Sunand Prasad, the next President of the RIBA outlines seven key themes in his Urban Speculations 2031
• Professor John Whitelegg sets out an agenda for urban designers and asks How people will live in 2031?
• Already living in 2031, Dr Sue Roaf recollects changes to life over the last 25 years since 2006, and the environmental issues ahead of us in The History of the End of the City
• Alex Cochrane sees the future for travel and ‘hooked up’ cities in Dreaming of Lille
• David Lock demands that we challenge the inevitable urban scenarios promoted by current policy to Stretch the Predictable, Escape the Shallow
• Stefan Behling and Marylis Amos present scenarios of 2055 that emerge from ideas in the DTI Foresight Project and developed by Foster and Partners.
• Trevor Osborne reflects on the responsibilities of the urbanist in the coming years in Thinking Urbanism.
• In his regular Endpiece column, Joe Holyoak describes his how we might live with inspiration from William Morris.