Better Cities By Design – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode of Better Cities by Design, host Davion Ford is joined by a panel of experts to explore the transformative potential of hydrogen technology in creating sustainable cities. Artiom Loginov from Cummins Inc., Brett Ryan from Hydrogen UK, and Paul Aspinall from Arcadis discuss the challenges and opportunities of integrating hydrogen into urban infrastructure. They delve into hydrogen's critical role in achieving net-zero emissions, the importance of public-private collaboration, and the need for safety measures. The conversation also highlights the scalability of hydrogen, strategies for its widespread adoption, and the vision of a future where hydrogen is seamlessly integrated into urban energy systems. Tune in to discover how hydrogen could power a greener, more sustainable future for cities around the world.

In this episode of Better Cities by Design, we venture into the heart of Canada to explore how the City of Red Deer is revolutionizing its parking system. Host Davion Ford talks with Amy Fengstad and Amara Heppell from Red Deer about the city's efforts to upgrade its outdated parking meters to a modern, app-based system. Discover how this transformation is improving convenience and efficiency for residents, the challenges faced along the way, and the innovative approaches taken to engage with the community. Plus, hear about the next steps for urban mobility in Red Deer and how other cities might draw inspiration from their experience. Tune in to hear how Red Deer is paving the way for smarter, more connected urban living.  

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.