Democrat versus Republican. Rich versus poor. Muslim versus Christian. Us versus them. The forces that divide societies around the world are political, economic, religious, even physical. A surprising solution to help break down these divisions?

Designing more livable cities. Cities like Copenhagen, planned to promote interaction among people who might not otherwise cross paths, create a sense of inclusion, safety and pride in public spaces. Paired with greater access to social services and resources, this increased interaction has been proven to foster understanding and most of all, trust. Is this too good to be true? Can cities create reasons to integrate people who would otherwise not cross paths? What makes a city “livable”? What role does the design of a city play in overcoming the rising inequalities we are witnessing today?

Program: 6:30 - 7:30 PM
Meet-and-Greet: 7:30 - 8:00 PM

SPEAKERS

Malo André Hutson
Associate Professor of City and Regional Planning, College for Environmental Design, UC Berkeley

Blaine Merker
Director, Team Lead, Gehl

MODERATOR:

Tanu Sankalia
Program Director, Urban Studies, University of San Francisco