Tuesdays at APA: The Speculative City

October 22, 2013


Despite the planning profession's origins in visionary thinking
about the future of our cities, many contemporary planning
practitioners are mired in the political battles of today and,
therefore, can feel disconnected from the idea of imagining how
the cities of tomorrow may have different needs and functions
than the cities of today.


According to architect and urban designer Marshall Brown, from
the Illinois Institute of Technology, future cities will be
rooted in but not beholden to current realities. The cities of
the future will likely be "mash-ups," recombining and repurposing
infrastructure and design features.


Brown discussed his recent projects, including proposals for
reimaging Chicago's Circle Center, and shared ideas about
American cities and their futures.