Better Cities By Design

Embark on a journey through Dublin's smart city landscape as this episode of Better Cities by Design brings you a conversation with Jamie Cudden, Smart City Program Manager, and Payal Pandya, Project Manager and Business Analyst, both at Dublin City Council. Davion talks to them about innovative solutions to urban challenges, with an emphasis on connectivity, data insights, and collaboration. We learn about transformative projects like the CurbIQ pilot, which is revolutionizing curbside management in Ireland’s capital and hear about the impact of COVID-19 on mobility patterns. Join us as we explore the Smart Dublin program, at the intersection of technology, innovation, and community impact.

In this episode of Better Cities by Design, we’re in Victoria, Canada, for a chat with Harsh Rathod, co-founder and CEO of Niricson, a company that is revolutionizing how bridges, dams, and other critical infrastructure are inspected for safety. Niricson uses digital technology in the form of software and drones as well as leveraging artificial intelligence to make infrastructure safety inspections much more reliable and efficient, significantly reducing the risk of human error. In this episode, we learn about how, back in 1896, people living in Victoria witnessed first-hand the tragic consequences of insufficient safety inspections, when the Point Ellice Bridge collapsed. And we hear how a much more recent bridge collapse in his home country of India, spurred Harsh on to found Niricson and lead a digital revolution for condition assessment and risk management, all with the aim of making infrastructure safer.

In this episode of Better Cities by Design, we head to the City of Bath in the UK, for a conversation with James Hooton, Managing Director of the Green Finance Institute (GFI). Bath is an ancient city with many very old buildings. But just like any other city, Bath is also striving to become more sustainable and that means these buildings need to be retrofitted, so they use less energy and therefore contribute less to climate change. GFI is working to help with this by channeling capital at pace and scale towards real-economy outcomes that will create jobs and increase prosperity for all. Join our host Davion and James for a conversation about the role of finance in the transition to a clean, resilient, and environmentally sustainable economy.

Join us in Amsterdam, for a conversation about an important aspect of the city’s phenomenal transportation system: train stations. Davion sits down with Daan Klaase, Manager of Research and Station Development, and John Riepen, Manager of Amsterdam Central Station, both from NS Stations. Daan and John reveal some of the secrets behind Amsterdam's iconic transportation hubs. We explore the role of NS Stations in ensuring well-maintained and passenger-friendly train stations and discover the delicate balance the organization must strike between historical preservation and modernization. And reflecting Amsterdam's status as a bastion for cycling, we learn about how NS Stations seamlessly integrates bicycles into the city's fabric. Listen in to find out more.

In this episode of the podcast we travel to Manchester in the UK, a city steeped in history and a rich cultural heritage. We speak with Natasha Rouse, Director of Asset Management at Equitix, a global investor, developer, and fund manager. Equitix has invested in myriad assets in Manchester and is playing a significant role in ensuring essential urban infrastructure is well maintained and delivering value for city residents. In this episode we explore Manchester's journey from being the world's first industrial city to its current position as a vital hub for advanced manufacturing, digital technology, and healthcare. We delve into Manchester's infrastructure challenges, and we discover the pivotal role private finance initiatives and public-private partnerships play in advancing infrastructure investment in the city. Join our host Davion and Natasha as they uncover the past, present, and future of Manchester’s infrastructure and the collaborative efforts shaping its current and future development.

We're back in New York. This week we speak with Maggie Hopkins, Vice President Civil Engineering & Environmental Planning at AKRF, a leading company specializing in environmental planning, and engineering services for climate resilience and coastal adaptation. AKRF has been working in conjunction with Arcadis on New York’s East Side Coastal Resiliency project, which is a leading climate adaptation effort started after Superstorm Sandy ravaged the city back in 2012. Maggie shares some of the unique challenges related to integrating a modern protection system into an urban landscape that is centuries old. Join host Davion and Maggie to hear how our two companies are working to keep New Yorkers safe in the face of the climate crisis, while also helping to ensure the Big Apple stays livable for future generations.

This week, we’re headed to Rotterdam and chatting with Harry Verhaar, Head of Global Public & Government Affairs at the global lighting company Signify. We talk with Harry about the outsized impact lighting has on urban electricity use and subsequent emissions. And we learn how proper lighting not only makes cities safer from crime and traffic accidents, but how also how modern light points can be used to collect air quality information as well as transfer data like a WiFi signal. Join host Davion and Harry for this enlightening discussion.

In our first episode of 2024, our guest is Anselmo Collins, Senior Assistant General Manager – Water System, at the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power (LADWP). We speak with Anselmo about LADWP’s efforts to ensure safe and reliable water service to more than 4 million residents, in the face of climate change, a burgeoning population, and the ever-present threat of earthquakes. Join host Davion and Anselmo for this insightful discussion about water resilience in the City of Angels.

We close out 2023 with a special episode of Better Cities by Design. We are in Amsterdam to hear the story of the decade-long renovation of the National Museum of the Netherlands, the Rijksmuseum. Our special correspondent Richard Walker heads over to the museum to speak with Igor Santhagens, the Rijksmuseum’s Renovation Project Leader, as well as Arcadians Dieneke Grimmeluis, and Gerard van Engelen, to uncover the secrets hidden within the museum.The building that is now the Rijksmuseum was opened back in 1885. It houses a collection of more than 1 million objects of art and history, with 8000 of objects on display in 12,000 square meters of exhibition space. But after more than a century of welcoming visitors from all over the world, the decision was made to renovate the building to enhance the visitor experience and to accommodate many more people each year. This massive project presented many technical challenges. For instance, the building rested on around 13,000 wooden poles lodged into Amsterdam’s muddy soil and this project needed to be carried out without damaging the ancient structure. Join Richard, Igor, Dieneke, and Gerard as they explore the Rijksmuseum and discuss how they brought this project to fruition, in the heart of the bustling Dutch capital. We also hear from museum visitors as they experience the grandeur of one of the most important cultural sites in the Netherlands.

In this episode of Better Cities by Design, Katherine Drayson, Senior Environment Manager at Transport for London (TfL), is our guest. We speak with Katherine about the vital role TfL plays in managing much of London’s sprawling public transportation system and how climate change is impacting all of this.London has the world’s oldest underground rail system, and this is only one part of TfL’s portfolio, which also includes the Docklands Light Railway and the London Overground, along with buses and other modes of transit. But with the negative impacts of climate change on the rise, TfL has a dual role in helping London achieve the ambitious targets set out in the Mayor’s Transport Strategy. First, TfL is working to make its operations more resilient against the warmer, wetter winters, and hotter, drier summers London is experiencing. Second, TfL is also focused on ensuring that Londoners have safe, reliable, convenient, and comfortable transit options that will help more and more residents choose public transportation over the use of a personal vehicle, thus reducing emissions in the city.Join Host Davion Ford and Katherine as they discuss the role that cities and transportation play in contributing to and potentially solving the climate crisis. Katherine also talks about both the history of public transportation in London, as well as what the future may hold.

In this episode of Better Cities by Design, Teun Bokhoven, Chairman of the 7 Square Endeavour, is our guest. We talk with Teun about his efforts to make Rotterdam’s Schouwburgplein (Theater Square) climate-neutral by 2030.The City of Rotterdam is the Netherland’s second largest city with just over one million inhabitants. It’s known for its bold, modern architecture and the plucky nature of its residents. Rotterdam has one of the largest ports in the world and the largest in Europe. Shaped by the devastating impacts of World War II, Rotterdam has a remarkable history, which led it to develop into a modern and forward-leaning city. After the war, as Rotterdam underwent rapid transformation, some residents began to feel that it was becoming a bit impersonal and lacked cultural amenities. This sentiment led to the birth of the Schouwburgplein, also known as Theater Square, which served as a focal point for cultural development.Join Host Davion Ford and Teun, as they discuss the ground-breaking collaborative effort called the 7 Square Endeavour. Teun talks about how this public-private partnership is transforming the Schouwburgplein, reducing energy consumption and adapting it to the impacts of climate change.

In this episode of Better Cities by Design, Doug Gordon, safe streets advocate, and co-host and producer of “The War on Cars” podcast is our guest. We speak with Doug about his crusade to rid New York, and other cities, of cars.With a population of over 8.8 million residents, New York is the most populous city of the United States, and a melting pot of cultures from around the globe. Unlike many cities in the US, most New Yorkers do not own a car. Across the 5 boroughs 55% of households do not own a car and a mere 22% of people commute to work in a car. Still, it’s estimated that there are around 620 car accidents in the city every day. And a 2021 Harvard and University of North Carolina study found that around 1400 New York residents die prematurely each year from pollution caused by trucks, cars, and buses.Join Host Davion Ford and Doug, as they discuss what New York could be like without cars. Doug shares why he has taken up this battle and how the COVID-19 pandemic taught many people that life in the Big Apple could be so much better with fewer cars. Doug raises serious questions about whether the car is really so beneficial for humanity, and he paints a picture of what city life could be if we eliminate cars from our streets. Listen in to find out why our guest has declared war on cars.

In this episode of Better Cities by Design, Neil Arckless, Group Executive for Development at Lendlease is our guest. We talk with Neil about the sustainable redevelopment of Darling Square in Sydney, Australia. Darling Square, which is part of the Darling Harbour section of the Australian capital, has a rich history. This area was originally home to the Aboriginal people, the Gadigal, who lived on this land for thousands of years and continue to play an important role in Sydney. In the 1900s, Darling Harbour was an industrial zone, which was later converted into public space. This happened in the 1980s, at a time when the area had essentially been abandoned. As a result, a pedestrian and tourist precinct was established. Darling Harbour also hosted part of the 2000 Summer Olympic Games. But over the ensuing decade, Darling Harbour had once again lost its luster and was no longer adequately serving the people of Sydney. And this led to a second redevelopment, led by Lendlease, with support from Arcadis.Join Host Davion Ford and Neil, as they chat about the extraordinarily sustainable transformation of Darling Square from an underused part of Sydney, into a vibrant, mixed-use area, with residential, business, and commercial space for more than 4200 people. Neil talks about what led to the need to redevelop the area and how Lendlease approached this effort with an eye toward creating a space that residents could take ownership of. Neil discusses the complex task of carrying out the regeneration within the central business district, without fundamentally disrupting city life and how this is one of most walkable and highly rated sustainability projects ever delivered in Australia.

In this episode of Better Cities by Design, Co-founder and Architect Tim Vermeend and Chief Marketing Officer Jasmijn Rijcken, from the Urban Woods, are our guests. Together we discuss how they have designed and will construct the tallest residential building in the Netherlands without a concrete core, in the city of Delft. At the intersection of urbanization and climate change, there sits a major challenge: how can we keep constructing buildings for people to live in cities, when doing so generates massive carbon emissions that are fueling climate change? Globally, constructing and operating buildings is responsible for nearly 40% of energy-related carbon emissions. In the Dutch city of Delft, an innovative company may have found the solution: the Urban Woods. Tim has designed the Urban Woods with a wooden core, instead of concrete, which is almost universally used. The production of concrete is devastatingly carbon-intensive, so swapping out concrete for a wooden core will make the construction of the Urban Woods not just carbon-neutral, but carbon negative, because the wood used will have absorbed carbon as it grew in the forest.Chief Marketing Officer Jasmijn Rijcken also joins the conversation and shares how the Urban Woods will be much more than merely a highly sustainable apartment complex; the building is designed to create a sense of community amongst residents. People who live in the Urban Woods will also have an app which will allow them to do things like upgrade their apartments in various ways, rent workspace in the building for the day, or even rent out a spare room to host visitors.Join Host Davion Ford, Tim and Jasmijn, as they chat about the Urban Woods.

In this episode of Better Cities by Design, Sat Patel, Programme Director – Edinburgh Waterfront, is our guest. We talk with Sat about an underserved section of Scotland’s capital city, Edinburgh, and how the city council is working to redevelop the area.Granton has a long history, dating back as far as 1479, and Granton Harbour was once an important economic driver for the city. In the 20th Century, the area was the site of gas works, petrol storage and other industrial activities. But by the end of the century, Granton had fallen into a bad state, with most of the employment and economic opportunities having vanished.Join Host, Davion Ford and Sat, as they discuss the city’s truly ambitious plans to revitalize Granton Waterfront and transform it into a highly sustainable coastal quarter. Sat talks about the plan, which includes building around 3500 new net zero carbon homes, along with creating Europe’s largest coastal park, ample commercial space, a new school, and a health center. Sat also speaks about his hopes for Granton Waterfront and how this project will contribute to a more equitable city.

In this episode of Better Cities by Design, Nick Cleary, CEO of CLARA Energy, is our guest. We talk with Nick about the poor air quality in Sydney, Australia and how his organization is working to help address this by scaling up the production of green hydrogen. One major sources of air pollution is vehicle exhaust, in particular from the thousands of heavy haulage, diesel trucks that travel between Sydney and Melbourne. CLARA Energy’s mission is to use new and existing technologies to create green resources at scale. They are focused on green hydrogen as a replacement fuel source that can eliminate those truck emissions and help improve air quality for people living in and around Sydney. Join Host, Davion Ford and Nick, as they discuss some of the criticisms lodged against hydrogen, as well as Nick’s views on Australia’s journey towards net zero. Better Cities by Design is brought to you by Arcadis, the world’s leading company delivering sustainable design, engineering, and consultancy solutions for natural and built assets. Tune in to episode three!

In the second episode of Better Cities by Design, Paul Riemens, CEO of RAI Amsterdam, joins the show and talks about how he’s working to make the city’s premier convention center fit for a sustainable future. Host, Davion Ford and Paul discuss both the positive and negative impact RAI Amsterdam has on the city, with the company being a major economic boon and the fact that large in-person events can often be carbon-intensive. During the episode Paul grapples with a number of thorny issues, such as how he can revamp RAI Amsterdam’s business model, with an eye towards securing good returns on investments in sustainability, as well as whether we even need convention centers and in-person gatherings in a post-pandemic world. Join us on this episode of Better Cities by Design as we find out how RAI Amsterdam is improving quality of life for folks in Amsterdam. Better Cities by Design is brought to you by Arcadis, the world’s leading company delivering sustainable design, engineering, and consultancy solutions for natural and built assets. Check out episode two!

On the first episode of Better Cities by Design, host, Davion Ford, is joined by, Joy Sinderbrand, the Senior Vice President for Capital Programs at the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), the largest public housing authority in North America.Joy and Davion discuss the importance of affordable housing in New York City and its impact on maintaining the livability of the city. They also talk about the challenges faced by NYCHA, with a focus on capital funding and the need to maintain a high standard of living for their residents. Joy also speaks about NYCHA's commitment to sustainability, with initiatives ranging from reducing greenhouse gas emissions to implementing renewable energy sources and retrofitting buildings for protection against climate change. Join us on this episode of Better Cities by Design as we discover how NYCHA is improving quality of life for thousands of New Yorkers. Better Cities by Design is brought to you by Arcadis, the world’s leading company delivering sustainable design, engineering, and consultancy solutions for natural and built assets. Don’t miss the premiere!

Better Cities by Design is a podcast from Arcadis, where we explore the world of urban development and the state-of-the-art solutions used to create more sustainable cities. Each episode brings change-makers to the table to discuss how they are making our urban environments better places to live, work, and play. From green infrastructure to smart city technology, we'll dive into innovative projects and the positive impact they're having on communities around the world. Whether you're a city-lover or simply curious about the future of our cities, Better Cities by Design is the show for you. Tune in for a fresh perspective on the stories behind some of the world's most livable cities.