The Century of Cities

The Century of Cities welcomes Ben Lucas, Executive Chair of the Growth and Reform Network and founding director of Metro Dynamics, where he leads major strategy projects across the UK. Following the Innovation Nation Summit in Manchester, chaired by Professor Greg Clark, our conversation investigates one of Britain's biggest economic questions: how can the country turn its extraordinary depth of talent, research and innovation into opportunities that reach every city and region? The summit brought together national policymakers, mayors, business leaders and city and regional representatives to confront precisely this challenge. From the industrial upheaval that transformed Britain's cities in the 1980s to the creative and economic renaissance underway today, Ben examines why so much potential remains untapped. He makes a powerful case for greater fiscal devolution, stronger local institutions and a more joined-up approach to national strategy and local ambition. He looks at how cities across all four UK nations can build on their distinctive strengths, connect through innovation corridors and create the conditions for businesses, ideas and talent to flourish. Ben imagines a more densely connected, dynamic and inclusive network of cities, where opportunity is rooted in place and where the talent already living across Britain becomes one of its greatest economic assets.

The Century of Cities welcomes Carl Nightingale, Professor Emeritus of Urban History and World History at the University of Buffalo, coordinator of the Global Urban History Project, and author of Segregation: A Global History of Divided Cities and Earthopolis: A Biography of Our Urban Planet. Spanning more than 6,000 years of urban history, Carl examines the profound relationship between cities, human power, and the planet, and the choices that have brought us to this pivotal moment. From car-dependent development and the dominance of finance and real estate to housing inequality, segregation, and the climate crisis, Carl traces the political and economic forces behind modern urban life. He places cities within the wider planetary systems they influence and depend on, raising fundamental questions about energy, governance, and who gets to share in the opportunities cities create. The task ahead is not simply to build more cities, but to create a different urban future, one that works with nature, distributes power more fairly, and leaves room for possibilities we have yet to imagine.

The Century of Cities welcomes Peter Frankopan, Professor of Global History at the University of Oxford, internationally bestselling author of The Silk Roads: A New History of the World and The Earth Transformed: An Untold History, and a global leading voice on the relationship between history, geopolitics, and the natural world. Looking across centuries of history, Peter examines how geography, trade, migration, energy, and the environment have determined the fortunes of cities and why the lessons of the past matter more than ever. From the extraordinary rise of Asian urban centres and the shifting geography of global power to the mounting pressures of climate change, water, food, and energy security, Peter considers what will determine which cities thrive in the decades ahead. He points to resilience, capable government, social cohesion, and the ability to anticipate change as essential ingredients of urban success. Through a fascinating comparison of cities in Scandinavia, Medellín, and Singapore, he challenges our tendency to study history through the lens of disaster, reminding us that there is just as much to learn from places that get things right. The cities best equipped for the future may not be the biggest or richest, but those that know how to adapt, prepare, and endure.

The Century of Cities continues its conversation with Professor Sir Paul Collier, Professor of Economics and Public Policy at the University of Oxford, in Part Two of a two-part episode about the forces shaping the cities of the future. This time, the conversation turns to migration, belonging, and the challenge of building cities that can absorb rapid population growth while creating shared identities and opportunities for their residents.  Sir Paul Collier turns to Africa's coming urban transition and the enormous challenge of financing the cities it will need. He proposes a new approach: giving cities greater access to domestic debt markets, creating shared guarantees between cities, and bringing development finance institutions together to invest not only in infrastructure but in the businesses and jobs of the future. His most hopeful message is that transformation does not have to begin everywhere at once. A handful of successful cities can become examples for others to learn from, adapt, and build upon, creating a powerful network of urban innovation across the continent.

The Century of Cities welcomes Professor Sir Paul Collier, Professor of Economics and Public Policy at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford, and Academic Director of the International Growth Centre. Drawing on his work on economic development, regional renewal, and places left behind, he explores how cities and regions can break cycles of decline, and why the hardest part may be bringing people together around a shared sense of purpose. From the rapid urbanization of lower-income countries and the enormous infrastructure challenges facing their cities, to the struggles of former industrial centres, Sir Paul Collier argues for a different approach: modesty, experimentation, and a willingness to see local assets as opportunities rather than liabilities. He shares lessons from places including Poland, Sheffield, and the Basque Country, and explains why agency, civic cooperation, and credible hope can be powerful forces for urban renewal. This is Part One of a two-part conversation about what it takes for cities to take ownership of their future and turn possibility into action

The Century of Cities welcomes Shiro Muchiri, London-based interior architect and founder of SoShiro, whose work explores the intersection of culture, craft, and the built environment. She examines how culture has shaped urban regeneration, and why cities must now move beyond creating destinations to cultivating a deeper sense of identity and belonging. As cities continue to evolve, Shiro challenges the rise of polished, interchangeable spaces and makes the case for embedding local culture, creative voices, and human connection into urban development from the outset. She argues that cultural infrastructure is essential to city life, and that the real measure of a city is whether people feel seen, connected, and truly at home.

The Century of Cities welcomes Joan Clos, elected twice as Mayor of Barcelona, former Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations, and Executive Director of UN-Habitat, for a conversation about the forces that shape cities and the leadership required to transform them. Reflecting on Barcelona's transition from dictatorship to democracy, he explores how political consensus, public participation, and international ambition helped drive a remarkable period of urban renewal, including the transformation surrounding the 1992 Olympic Games. Drawing on his global experience with UN-Habitat and the 2016 New Urban Agenda, Dr. Clos examines the challenges facing cities today, from housing affordability and inequality to the need for renewed urban planning and regulatory systems. As cities look toward 2080, Dr. Clos brings the focus back to the foundations of urban transformation: the institutions, regulatory frameworks, and collective political will that turn ambition into lasting change.

The Century of Cities welcomes Yu-Ning Hwang, Singapore's first Chief, Urban Innovation & Excellence at the Ministry of National Development and Executive Director of the Centre for Liveable Cities, as our special series continues in association with the World Cities Summit Mayors Forum and the Centre for Liveable Cities. A key figure in Singapore's urban development, Yu-Ning reflects on the decisions that transformed Singapore from the 1980s into one of the world's most liveable high-density cities, and what it will take to keep that progress going. She explores the evolution from a "City in a Garden" to a city where nature is integrated throughout the urban system, and why liveability must be continually renewed rather than treated as a finished achievement. She introduces a more regenerative approach to city-making: moving beyond simply reducing the impact of development to asking whether our decisions can leave cities better than before. She also shares the thinking behind the Mayors Forum and why the most valuable urban lessons may come not from copying another city, but from understanding its successes, setbacks, and principles, and adapting them to your own.

This episode of The Century of Cities brings together the moderators of the 2026 World Cities Summit Mayors Forum. Greg sits down with his fellow moderators, Winston Chow and Tamara Singh, to reflect on the priorities for action they heard from 120 mayors as they confronted some of the biggest challenges facing cities today. Recorded in association with the World Cities Summit Mayors Forum and the Centre for Liveable Cities, the conversation explores the ideas and solutions that stood out most, from affordable housing and water resilience to energy transitions and more responsive municipal services. They discuss nature-based solutions, innovative financing, digital twins, new energy systems, and the growing role of technology in urban life. But perhaps the strongest message is the appetite among city leaders to share knowledge, learn from one another, and turn ideas into action. Because while technology is changing how cities operate, the ultimate goal remains deeply human: creating cities that are more resilient, responsive, and liveable for everyone.

The Century of Cities brings together Bohan Chen of KPF in New York, Borane Gille of The Business of Cities in London, and Sagar Jadhav of BMC in Mumbai as part of our special series recorded in Singapore in association with the World Cities Summit Mayors Forum and the Centre for Liveable Cities. They bring three very different vantage points to the same question: what will it take to create better cities in the decades ahead? From architecture and urban design to city strategy and municipal delivery, they reflect on what happens when the next generation of city-makers sits around the same table. They discuss the value of learning across borders, why cities don't need to reinvent every solution, and how small interventions can have an outsized impact on everyday life. Most importantly, they make the case for a more connected urban future, one where ideas move between cities, disciplines, and generations, and where the people shaping cities are willing to keep learning from one another.