The Urban Futures Studio probes, tests and tinkers in unusual coalitions to help enhance urban resilience. We aim to understand the dynamics of change and expand our repertoire of techniques of futuring. In doing so, we conduct both research and trandisciplinary projects.
Our research themes serve as multiple points-of-entry for investigating the transformative capacity of cities. To enhance the imaginative and transformative capacity of cities we seek to illuminate techniques of futuring in use, as well as explore new ones. This is combined with an assessment of the new horizontal governance networks, both within and between cities, through which these imaginaries are mobilized and transformative change may occur. Understandings of these mechanisms are then evaluated in relation to specific themes and challenges, such as the relation between decentralised sustainable energy systems and new forms of democracy.
In tandem with our core research themes, the Urban Futures Studio engages in transdisciplinary initiatives, with the explicit intention of reaching out to parties and stakeholders outside of the traditional university context. These initiatives are always directly linked to the our research agendas so that interventions can be analyzed and evaluated as they unfold.
