Challenger Cities

SummaryIn this conversation, Charles R. Landry discusses the concept of creative cities, emphasizing the importance of imagination, psychology, and human-centered design in urban planning. He explores how cities develop identities, the psychological complexities they face, and the impact of gentrification on urban evolution. Landry highlights the need for spaces that foster connection and the role of curiosity in understanding urban dynamics. He concludes with thoughts on the future of cities and the importance of simplifying complex ideas without losing their essence.TakeawaysThe creative city concept focuses on imagination in urban planning.Psychology plays a crucial role in how we perceive cities.Cities can have inferiority complexes affecting their identity.Gentrification can evolve neighborhoods positively or negatively.Human-centered design is essential for livable cities.Connection and interaction are vital for urban life.Curiosity drives exploration and understanding of cities.Cities should facilitate encounters between diverse groups.Urban growth presents challenges that require innovative solutions.Simplifying complex urban issues can lead to clearer priorities.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Creative Cities02:10 The Role of Psychology in Urban Planning06:22 City Stereotypes and Psychological Complexes10:33 The Dynamics of City Identity and Confidence13:07 Gentrification and Urban Evolution19:05 The Challenges of Urban Growth and Gentrification23:01 The Importance of Human-Centered Design30:01 The Future of Cities and Connection35:06 Curating Spaces for Connection41:20 The Magic Wand for Cities55:07 Closing Thoughts on Urban Innovation

In this conversation, Iain Montgomery and Rashiq Fataar delve into the complexities of urbanism in South Africa, particularly focusing on Cape Town. Rashiq shares his journey from actuarial science to becoming a self-appointed urbanist, emphasizing the need for innovative urban solutions that address social and spatial inequalities. They discuss the current state of South African cities, the lessons learned from global urbanism, and the challenges faced in urban development. Rashiq highlights the importance of public spaces, transportation, and housing, while also envisioning a future where Cape Town can thrive as a model for urban living. The conversation concludes with Rashiq's vision for transformative change in urban policy and infrastructure.TakeawaysUrbanism in South Africa is often overlooked.Rashiq Fataar transitioned from actuarial science to urbanism.Curiosity about cities can lead to impactful projects.South African cities face unique social and spatial challenges.Public spaces and access to nature are crucial for urban living.Learning from global cities can inform local practices.Transportation infrastructure is key to urban connectivity.Events like the Olympics can catalyze urban development.There is a need for radical urbanism in South Africa.Quality of life improvements must be prioritized in urban planning.Chapters00:00 Exploring Urbanism in South Africa04:56 Rashiq Fataar's Journey to Urbanism09:58 The State of South African Cities14:57 Learning from Global Urbanism19:41 Challenges and Opportunities in Urban Development24:46 The Role of Events in Urban Transformation29:16 Vision for the Future of Cape Town34:19 The Magic Wand for Urban Change

In this conversation, Iain Montgomery speaks with Luca Ballarini about Utopian Hours, a festival in Turin that celebrates urbanism and creativity. They discuss Luca's journey from architecture to graphic design, the challenges of transforming urban narratives, and the unique identity of Turin as a city. The conversation highlights the emotional connection people have with their cities and the importance of community engagement in urban development. Luca shares insights on the festival's diverse speakers and topics, as well as his vision for a more accessible and imaginative approach to urbanism.Utopian Hours is a festival celebrating urbanism and creativity.Turin is known as the city of four rivers, which shapes its identity.Luca Ballarini transitioned from architecture to graphic design and urbanism.Cities can be transformed through imagination and community engagement.There is a love-hate relationship with one's own city, driving change.Utopian Hours features diverse speakers and innovative ideas.The festival aims to inspire attendees to think differently about urban spaces.Emotional connections to cities can drive urban transformation.Luca envisions simplifying urbanism rules for experimentation.The festival fosters a sense of community and collaboration.Sound Bites"Turin is a city with four rivers.""Turin is the four river city.""I would simplify rules in urbanism."Chapters00:00Introduction to Utopian Hours and Luca's Background07:55The Genesis of Utopian Hours12:14Challenges and Surprises in Urban Narratives15:44Turin: A City with a Unique Identity20:07The Emotional Connection to Turin25:33Utopian Hours: A Festival of Inspiration33:17Surprises from Past Editions of Utopian Hours37:03Local Insights: Experiencing Turin40:00Magic Wand Wishes for Urbanism42:31Introduction and Call to Action43:07NEWCHAPTER

aniel Herriges joins us to explore one of the most underestimated levers for better cities: parking reform. A longtime Strong Towns writer and co-author of Escaping the Housing Trap, Daniel explains how the post-war American obsession with car storage has quietly shaped—and often strangled—urban life.From zoning codes that make beloved main streets illegal, to the $127 billion annual subsidy for “free” parking, Herriges walks through the cultural, financial, and environmental costs of designing places around peak car demand. But more importantly, he makes a compelling case for a bottom-up approach to urban change: one that values small bets, local agency, and a return to permission-based development.This is not a podcast about technical policy. It’s about rediscovering momentum. And why cities that want to become more livable, walkable, and resilient need to focus on being more interestingly, less wrong.💬 In This Episode: – Why parking is the “dark matter” of North American cities – The hidden cost of “free” parking – How zoning codes ban the kinds of places people love – Why most people don’t hate new neighbours—they hate traffic – The importance of small-scale experimentation – Why “let people do things” might be the best policy of all – How bottom-up momentum outperforms masterplans – Reframing density for public understanding – The power of getting it less wrong over time

Andy Nulman is a man who’s seen Montreal through every era — and he’s not afraid to call out what’s gone wrong. In this no-holds-barred conversation, the Just for Laughs co-founder shares his frustrations with small-minded politics, lost ambition, and a city that’s forgotten how to dream big. We talk about Montreal’s golden ages, its identity crisis, and what it would take to fix the city’s flow, literally and metaphorically.From language laws to bike lanes, bad branding to bold leadership, this episode is about what happens when cities stop being bold … and how to bring the swagger back.

TakeawaysMichael Wexler's journey into urbanism began unexpectedly.He transitioned from cycling-focused projects to broader transit planning.Cargo bikes represent a gap in North American urban mobility.Infrastructure is crucial for increasing cycling and cargo bike usage.Copenhagen's cycling culture serves as an inspiration for Montreal.Mulo aims to fill the cargo bike market gap in Montreal.Community partnerships are essential for Mulo's success.E-bikes have transformed the cargo bike experience.The political landscape significantly impacts urban mobility initiatives.A multi-faceted approach is needed for sustainable urban transportation.SummaryIn this conversation, Michael Wexler shares his unique journey into urbanism, highlighting his experiences with cycling infrastructure and transit planning. He discusses the rise of cargo bikes as a sustainable urban mobility solution, the cultural differences in their adoption, and the importance of infrastructure in promoting cycling. Wexler emphasizes the need for community engagement and local partnerships in launching initiatives like Mulo, Montreal's first cargo bike share system. He also addresses the challenges of urban transit and the political landscape affecting mobility projects, ultimately advocating for a multi-faceted approach to creating better urban environments.Chapters00:00 Introduction and Background of Michael Wexler02:47 Transitioning from Cycling to Transit Planning05:59 The Rise of Cargo Bikes in Urban Mobility09:11 Cultural Differences in Cargo Bike Adoption11:56 Infrastructure and Its Impact on Cycling15:03 Encouraging the Use of Cargo Bikes18:07 Types of Cargo Bikes and Their Uses20:57 Mulo's Initial Launch and Community Engagement23:42 Future Aspirations and Expansion Plans27:03 Operational Challenges and Solutions29:56 The Role of E-Bikes in Urban Mobility32:50 The Importance of Local Partnerships36:08 The Future of Cargo Bikes in Urban Areas38:56 The Need for Better Transit Systems42:02 The Political Landscape of Urban Mobility44:54 The Vision for a Better Urban Future47:47 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Exploring Urban Evolution with Diana LindJoin host Iain Montgomery in a captivating conversation with Diana Lind, renowned urbanist and author, as they delve into the complexities of modern cities. From the challenges of zoning reform to the potential of urban public education, this episode offers a thoughtful exploration of how cities can transform and thrive.Key Topics:The evolution of cities post-pandemic The role of Starbucks in urban development Zoning reform and its impact on housing The concept of co-living and its future The importance of urban public educationGuest: Diana Lind, author of "Brave New Home" and writer of "The New Urban Order" on Substack.Don't miss this insightful discussion on the future of urban living. Subscribe now to the Challenger Cities podcast for more engaging episodes.#Urbanism #CityPlanning #ZoningReform #PublicEducation #Podcast

What if commuting from Niagara to Toronto didn’t mean hours in traffic or waiting on a slow, infrequent train? Erika Potrz thinks there’s a better way, and it involves a military‑grade hovercraft gliding across Lake Ontario in just 30 minutes.In this episode, we talk about why Hoverlink could change more than just the QEW commute: from making travel joyful again (yes, DJs on board), to giving people their time back, to rethinking the connection between transport, tourism, and housing. Erika also shares her “magic wand” for making Canada bolder about big ideas and why sometimes, it takes an unconventional outsider to get things moving.This isn’t just a ferry service. It’s a challenge to the way Ontario thinks about mobility, growth, and what’s possible.

Northern has long been the UK’s biggest rail operator by stations—and one of its most under-loved. But under Alex Hornby, it’s getting a dose of something different: warmth, character, and a clear sense of purpose.In this episode, we talk to Alex about his journey from making buses in Burnley genuinely desirable to leading a railway that serves some of the North’s most complex and underserved places. We explore why he believes public transport should be treated like a product people love, not just a utility they endure, and what Northern’s “30 by 30” plan means for the region.From asking “what if IKEA ran our stations?” to empowering staff with handwritten notes during disruption, Alex shares how small, thoughtful changes add up to big cultural shifts. This is an episode about public service as choreography—turning trains, stations, and timetables into something that moves people, not just moves them around.

Every city tells itself a story. In Kansas City, it’s one of manageability: there’s parking when you want it, space to drive, and just enough shine in a few key places to make it feel like things are ticking along. But scratch the surface—or take a walk down the streets that aren’t newly polished—and another story emerges. One of unrealised potential, oversized roads, empty sidewalks, and neighbourhoods running on a fraction of their former energy.In this episode, we sit down with Kevin Klinkenberg, architect-turned-place-maker and Executive Director of Midtown KC Now, who has spent years in the guts of Kansas City figuring out how to shift that story—not through glossy master plans, but by making blocks work better. Then another. And another.We talk about:Why “big visions” rarely survive contact with realityHow a three-block art walk (The Artery) is sparking collaboration across Kansas CityThe overlooked power of roundabouts, backyard cottages, and other suburban fixesWhy charm often comes from what’s been left alone, not designed from scratchHow small, scrappy interventions—a tricycle in the street, a few trees—can create real momentumAs Kevin says: “Pick the thing that annoys you, and fix that.”If you’ve ever wondered how to get your city unstuck—or how to make a meaningful difference without waiting for permission—this conversation is for you.

The City’s Recipe Book: Borrow the Technique, Use Your Own Ingredients with Guillermo BernalCities don’t work because of glossy plans or polished renderings. They work because people use them, reshape them, and often subvert them in ways no planner predicted.That’s the world Guillermo Bernal inhabits. A political scientist turned place-maker, Guillermo has spent the past decade helping communities across Mexico reclaim their public spaces — not through sweeping vision statements, but through small, tangible acts of change.In this episode, we explore:Why cookbook urbanism (copying the look of other cities) fails without understanding the “ingredients” that make it workHow Mexico City thrives on improvisation, adaptation, and citizen-led transformationThe risks of chasing authenticity until it becomes a product — and what happens when places lose their soulWhy trusting citizens with public spaces leads to more vibrant, cared-for citiesGuillermo reminds us that the best cities aren’t perfect or polished. They’re unfinished, alive, and constantly rewriting their own rules.

What happens when you take someone fluent in corporate innovation and drop them into the world of council-led adult social care? A surprising amount of clarity on what actually counts as value.In this crossover episode, Iain Montgomery is joined by his usual SIDEBAR co‑conspirator, Charlie Rowat, to explore how innovation changes when you swap corporate executives for councillors, consumers for citizens, and quarterly shareholder updates for public accountability.Charlie has spent the past few months working with councils in London and Essex on an adult social care innovation programme with Rainmaking and Thames Gateway — an area that consumes roughly 40% of local government budgets and still isn’t enough. It’s a space where “innovation” isn’t a buzzword but a lifeline: prediction over reaction, prevention over crisis, survival before strategy.We discuss: – Why corporate and civic notions of “value” are worlds apart – How urgency and constraint shape innovation in public life – Why planning consultations are broken (and how imagination could fix them) – What Shoreditch teaches us about regenerating cities like Bradford – The courage it takes for councils to make change that can’t be ignored“Lots of will, lots of appetite, no real budget. I mean, literally they are struggling to keep the lights on.”This one’s about guts, trade‑offs, and what it really means to innovate when the stakes are human.

What does it take to make a city work after dark?In this episode, we're speaking with Mathieu Grondin, Ottawa’s first-ever Nightlife Commissioner, about why nightlife isn’t just parties and late bars, it’s infrastructure.The conversation explores why Ottawa created this role, what mid-sized cities can teach their bigger siblings about cultural development, and how better policy can make cities safer, more vibrant, and more economically resilient. From public transit to zoning reform, and from the loss of mid-size venues to Canada’s image problem abroad, Grondin makes the case for treating nightlife as a vital part of urban life, not a nuisance.In this episode:Why Ottawa of all places is leading on nightlife governanceThe link between nightlife, safety, and economic growthHow mid-sized cities are driving Canada’s cultural experimentationWhat happens when you lose the “middle class” of cultureWhy cities need projects, not just ideasChallenger Cities explores how places defy expectations, take risks, and build something better — and why that matters for everyone who lives, works, and plays there.

The Magnetic, Messy Cities People Don’t Leave — with Sofia SongWhat actually keeps people in cities? It isn’t just housing supply, transit plans, or economic growth. It’s something far less tangible, emotional connection.In this episode, we speak with Sofia Song, Head of Global Cities Research at Gensler, about the City Pulse study, one of the most ambitious looks at urban life anywhere in the world. Drawing on insights from 65 cities, 30 countries, and over 100,000 people, it explores what makes a city truly magnetic … and what drives people away.We cover: Why people move for practicality but stay for feelingThe underestimated power of emotional infrastructureHow second-tier cities risk losing their magicWhy boredom is the biggest predictor of whether someone staysWhat it takes to design places people can’t imagine leavinghttps://www.gensler.com/press-releases/city-pulse-magnetic-city-2025

What if cycling policy wasn’t about bike lanes but about joy, dignity, and connection? In this episode of Challenger Cities, we sit down with Michela Grasso — Italian researcher, urbanist, and co-author of the Urban Cycling Manifesto — to explore how cities can rethink mobility through culture, inclusion, and imagination.We talk about:Why benches might matter more than bike lanes.How e-bikes are transforming independence for older riders.Mama Agatha’s migrant cycling lessons in Amsterdam.Bologna’s 30 km/h revolution — and how small policy shifts save lives.Why she’d let children redesign our cities.Michela’s insights challenge the way we think about cycling and urban design — shifting the focus from infrastructure to experience.

We talk a lot about fixing cities—but less about why we’ve let them decline in the first place. This conversation with civic pride expert Jeff Siegler is a deep, uncomfortable, and often inspiring look at how we got here and what it takes to turn it around.Jeff doesn’t believe in sugar-coating. He’s spent his life fighting against civic apathy and calling out the ways we’ve outsourced care, maintenance, and even meaning in our places. We talked about what happens when people stop seeing their city as theirs, why shame and pride are two sides of the same coin, and how to rebuild not just infrastructure, but belief.This episode is full of insights on:Why placelessness is a symptom of deeper dysfunctionThe dangers of design without stewardshipThe real cost of our maintenance gapHow cities can rekindle civic love—not through slogans, but through actionAs Jeff says: “The opposite of love isn’t hate. It’s indifference. And that’s what’s killing our cities.”

Russell King didn’t start out in transport. But somewhere between regenerating Battersea and reforming Sydney’s transit system, he became—by his own admission—“a transport tragic.”In this wide-ranging conversation, Russell shares what it actually takes to build infrastructure that shapes cities, why most governments lose the capability they’ve just built, and how our obsession with roads and cost-cutting gets in the way of good transport policy. We get into:– Why rail lines define what kind of city you get – The real reason most transit projects don’t integrate with housing – Lessons from London, Sydney, and Madrid on what to and not to do – Why the road lobby is winning—and how to push back – The hidden subsidies no one talks about (hint: it’s not just transit) – What happens when the political stars align—and why it rarely lastsA must-listen if you care about cities, infrastructure, or just want to know how good ideas actually get delivered.

Episode Description: Dave Cairns used to sell downtown towers. Then he left the city—and the real estate orthodoxy behind. In this episode, the former poker pro turned office space contrarian explains why remote work is not a trend but a paradigm shift, how most cities are clinging to outdated myths, and why the real challenge isn't return-to-office—it's return to relevance.We talk about: – Why cities must now earn our presence – Atlassian and Pinterest as models for modern work – The slow death of co-working (and the lie of flexibility) – How mental health, AI, and autonomy are reshaping value – What Canadian cities still get wrong

Architect and urban planner Naama Blonder didn’t set out to be a suburban revolutionary. She’s raised her kids in a condo, doesn’t own a car, and rides her bike everywhere. But now she’s challenging the idea that suburbia has to be bad—and that density has to be boring.In this episode, we dig into her award-winning Sub-Divillage project, why charm is a strategic tool (not a luxury), and how even transit-oriented developments suffer from car-first thinking.We also cover:Why Toronto’s biggest TODs feel like vertical suburbsThe myth that midrise is always the best compromiseWhy towers aren’t the problem—it’s what we do at street levelHow to push bold designs through a system built to say noThe emotional energy tax of public consultationsWhat Naama would do with a magic wand (hint: it’s about speed)“Even people who love driving still appreciate walkability.” “We don’t have a charm crisis—but we’ve stopped even asking for charm.”This is a conversation about better tactics, not just bigger ideas. Because if you want people to live with less, you’d better give them more to love.https://smartdensity.com/subdivillage/

If you’ve ever tumbled down a YouTube rabbit hole about public transportation, chances are you’ve come across Reece Martin — the sharp, relentless mind behind RMTransit. With over 1,000 videos filmed across dozens of cities, Reece has quietly become one of the most insightful, entertaining, and occasionally exasperated voices in the transit world.In this episode, we talk about:Why North America — and Toronto in particular — keeps getting transit so wrongThe difference between places that treat transit like infrastructure vs. places that treat it like an expensive hobbyHow insecure leadership stops smart people from fixing obvious problemsWhy signage, governance, and shelters are more broken than you thinkWhat we can learn from Singapore, Germany, and even the SkyTrain in VancouverThe one change Reece would make if he was handed a magic wandWe also cover Reece’s personal journey — how a COVID-era side project became a global platform — and the two RMTransit videos he’s still most proud of.This is a conversation about imagination, urgency, and doing the damn thing.Because at some point, you have to stop planning and start building.Watch Reece’s Vancouver video: I Went to Every SkyTrain Station in VancouverExplore RMTransit on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RMTransit