The second meeting within the Time for the Future cycle of discussions co-organized by Ingosstrakh and Garage will focus on contemporary urban life, and in particular on that which defines the quality of the city’s habitat today and what needs to be done by urban thinkers in the future. The conversation will analyze factors affecting the physical and mental condition of people living in large cities, and how smart urban planning, technology, and the media can create an environment promoting an active and healthy way of living.
With the share of the world’s urban population having increased to 55% and expected to continue to grow, according to all forecasts, in Russia, almost three quarters of the population live in cities today, explaining the current boost of interest toward urban studies. What are the distinctive marks of a twenty-first-century city dweller? Which cities suit a contemporary individual? And how do the notions of comfort, safety and environment allowing for an active and happy life evolve today?
The “urban health” approach offers a novel look at the development of contemporary cities, which takes into account how urban environment, designated by local architecture, social programs and information networks, affects the physical and psychic health of people and their lifestyle.
This new approach suggests the building of an anthropocentric urban planning model which prioritizes the quality of people’s living as its main criteria. Along with project design work aimed at the development of public spaces and infrastructure, Urban Health implies the coordination of administration, businesses, service industries, and mass media that will enable the creation of an environment supporting an active and healthy lifestyle at any age. The question is how it can be implemented in real-life practice.
The speakers will exchange ideas about changes that should be integrated in urban planning in order to alter and affect our everyday private planning. In other words, the participants will discuss how to replace the reactive type of management within the service industry with the proactive model that will instigate society to reconsider the mental map of the city and urban mobility schemes, along with activating a program of care of themselves and the environment. Since only a city with a successful experience of creating safe and comfortable living conditions can become a place where people feel happy.