This year’s Urban Futures event was held in June 2018, aimed at addressing the challenges faced by rapidly growing cities in India. Building on the success of the previous event, this half-day symposium gathered practitioners, researchers, and stakeholders to share best practices and explore scalable solutions for urban issues. The main theme for this year’s gathering was “Going to Scale,” with the aim of transforming innovative small-scale initiatives into broader, impactful solutions.
The symposium focused on four key topics: water resilience, planning for people-centered streets, low-cost housing, and building local resilience. Participants engaged in workshops to contribute to an emerging manifesto that advocates for smarter urbanisation in the context of rapid growth. This manifesto is intended to guide future research and practical initiatives by The URBED Trust and its collaborators. Networking opportunities were also provided to foster collaboration among attendees. Overall, the “Introduction” highlights the need for a collaborative approach to urban development, emphasising the importance of capacity building and institutional support in delivering effective urban solutions at a larger scale.
