Happy New Year! it’s been a long time but we are back with our newsletter in 2025. We hope 2025 is off to a good start for you.
If you don’t remember us, ‘for Cities’ is an urban experience design studio based in Japan and work mainly in Japanese and Asian cities. You can read the founders’ interview from HERE to understand more of our goals.
This year is going to be a big year for us. We have plans to engage with emerging urbanists around the world, especially those who are based in underrepresented part of the world — such as in Asia or Africa — by organizing monthly meetups and newsletters, talk events, and collective research. Our idea for this newsletter is to invite one guest urbanist every month to curate some urban trends and hot topics including some interesting links, podcasts, or videos, to help us understand the urban issue beyond the mainstream. We’ll then compile of the research outcomes by the end of the year, to create an alternative urban dictionary 📚 Stay tuned!
We will be having our first monthly Meet-up session of the year on the 1st of February. It’s a casual session on Discord where we have inspiring discussions with urbanists around the world! More information will be posted on Discord so please join our channel below, and please sign-up to join from here
📅 Feb 1st
🕰️ 19:00-20:30 (JST)
On our Discord channel, join from here / Sing-up from here
We aimed to expand our platform of urbanists around the to get together online and share ideas, cooperate and foster a community and we were delighted to have participants from diverse places and discuss topics related to cities and were inspired by these conversations. We had participants from Tokyo, Okayama, London, Cairo, Nairobi, Malmö and Edinburgh with various backgrounds.
⭐️KEY topics that came up through the meet-ups last year
The Hidden and Invisible Dimensions of Cities
Urban Religious Practices and Rituals
Cities Through Children's Eyes
Poetic Urbanism
Cities in Conflict
Check out previous sessions and books that we discussed from here!
In this section, we ask an urbanist to pick urbanism-ralted hot topics and treands from their region. This month’s guest picker is Taranum Lone, an urban researcher from India. We are looking for news pickers so if you are interested, please contact us at info@forcities.org or simply DM us on discord.
Hi for Cities Community! I am an urban researcher based in Jammu & Kashmir, India. I'm passionate about sustainable urban development, inclusive governance, and understanding how smaller towns and cities are transforming. I feel the need to document the unique challenges and innovations of my country, which are often overlooked in mainstream narratives.I’ve curated some topics to help you explore what’s happening in Indian cities today stories of resilience, community action, and creative solutions.
Happy reading, Taranum
1. Nagrika- A research and advisory organization dedicated to strengthening local governance in Indian small and medium towns. They work closely with urban local bodies (ULBs) to co-create context-specific solutions, focusing on issues like municipal finance, service delivery, and citizen engagement.
By emphasizing capacity-building and grassroots partnerships, Nagrika empowers smaller towns often neglected by mainstream urban narratives to develop sustainable, citizen-centric models.
2. The Ugly Indian- An anonymous group of volunteers who tackle the problem of garbage blackspots and neglected public areas in cities particularly in Bengaluru by organizing clean-ups, painting walls, and redesigning small public spaces.
Good news angle: Their “spot-fixes” have transformed countless corners from eyesores into vibrant places.
3. Sensing Local - A Bengaluru-based collective of architects, engineers, and urban planners. They focus on participatory design solutions like improving walkability, air quality, and waste management by involving local residents in shaping projects.
Why it’s unique: They produce open-source resources, organizing workshops where people can co-create urban solutions.
1. Cities and Canopies: Trees in Indian Cities (2019), Harini Nagendra & Seema Mundoli- A fascinating dive into the trees that define urban landscapes across India. It sheds light on how green cover affects city life and culture, blending ecological facts with personal anecdotes.
2. Subaltern Urbanisation in India: An Introduction to the Dynamics of Ordinary Towns (2017), Eric Denis & Marie-Hélène Zérah- Focuses on small and medium towns often missing in mainstream urban narratives. Contributors examine how these “ordinary” urban areas are growing, governed, and experienced by residents.
3.Urban Pluse - A quarterly publication dedicated to exploring the dynamic changes in Indian cities. It features articles on urban policy, innovative architecture, and community-driven projects, providing a platform for local voices and ideas.
1. “Talk in the Town” by Nagrika - A podcast series by Nagrika that highlights how citizens in small and medium Indian towns shape policies and governance. Each episode features behind-the-scenes stories, from grassroots activists to local officials, spotlighting how everyday people can influence public policy.Because it focuses on smaller cities often overlooked by mainstream urban discourse “Talk in the Town” surfaces unique perspectives and community solutions you won’t find in bigger outlets.
2."URBLAN: Know Your Cities Through Planning" - This podcast focuses on introducing listeners to the field of urban planning, exploring its significance, components, and how it shapes the spaces we live in. It aims to bridge the gap between the technical aspects of planning and the everyday experiences of people living in cities.
1.Lecture "Thinking Ecologically about India's Cities" by Prof. Harini Nagendra
In this insightful lecture, Prof. Harini Nagendra explores the urgent need to adopt an ecological perspective in the rapid urbanization of India's cities. Highlighting the dual role of cities as engines of prosperity and zones of environmental stress, she emphasizes the critical importance of integrating ecological principles into urban planning to ensure sustainability and resilience against climate change.
2.TREADS Annual Lecture – India’s Water Vision 2047: A Pipedream or Achievable? - Professor Asit Biswas, an internationally acclaimed authority on water and development, delivers a compelling talk on India's Water Vision 2047. Against the backdrop of the Indian government's ambitious goal to ensure water security and sustainable development, this lecture critically examines whether this vision is achievable or just a distant dream.
1.Bengaluru's Green Corridor Initiative Enhances Urban Biodiversity
Bengaluru, often referred to as the "Silicon Valley of India," has launched its Green Corridor Initiative, aiming to weave a network of green spaces throughout the city. This project focuses on creating interconnected parks, rooftop gardens, and vertical green walls to boost urban biodiversity and improve air quality.
Key Highlights:
Biodiversity Boost: Introduction of native plant species to support local wildlife, including pollinators like bees and butterflies.
Community Involvement: Local residents are actively participating in planting and maintaining these green spaces through workshops and volunteer programs.
Climate Resilience: Enhanced green cover helps in mitigating urban heat island effects and managing stormwater runoff, reducing the risk of floods.
2.Citizen Matters -A civic media platform that reports on local governance, urban solutions, and citizen-led initiatives, primarily in Bengaluru, Chennai, Mumbai, and other metros.
Why it’s great: They frequently publish success stories about how communities take charge like neighborhood composting drives or public space reclamation events.
1.Aravani Art Project - An art collective that brings together transgender individuals and allies to create large-scale murals in public spaces. Bengaluru-based but active in other cities too.
Why it’s important: Their projects visually narrate stories of inclusivity and empowerment, giving marginalized voices a powerful platform.
2. St+art India Foundation - Established in 2014, this non-profit organization focuses on urban regeneration and community engagement through contemporary art projects. They have organized multiple festivals and public art initiatives in cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru, creating iconic landmarks such as the Lodhi Art District in New Delhi, India's first open-air public art district
1. Event Recap: Capacity4Change – Forging Sustainable Futures - The session on building capacities for digital governance was a resounding success at the ‘Capacity for Change: Forging Sustainable Futures’ event held at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi.
Highlights of the Event:
Engaging discussions on digital governance strategies.
Insights from thought leaders on sustainable urban development.
Collaborative brainstorming sessions driving future-ready solutions.
Please share your projects from 2024 and ideas for 2025 on our Discord channel:)
If you have any questions please reach out at info@forcities.org
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