IE and Arup organize first Urban Densification forum on Madrid

IE University’s School of Architecture and Design and cutting-edge engineering and consultancy Arup held the first Urban Densification forum, bringing together experts in the field of urban planning to discuss trends and to examine the key factors and opportunities in the field, using Madrid as a yardstick to compare with other cities around the world.

Held at IE University’s Madrid head office, the event brought together more than 30 experts from Spain’s regions,  along with international organizations, research bodies, city associations, private developers and bankers, technology and energy companies, urban services providers, consultancies, town planners and other professionals from a range of fields related to urban development. Delegates provided their own vision and experience to try to identify the opportunities provided by innovation and urban change.

The day kicked off with a conversation between Martha Thorne, the dean of IE School of Architecture and Design, and Jerome Frost, Global Leader for Cities at Arup. Both analyzed the challenges facing the world’s major conurbations, as well as providing some ideas on how to improve them. “We have to involve municipal administrations, urban communities, infrastructure providers, developers and investors to define our own urban futures, rather than simply reacting to external pressures,” argued Arup’s Jerome Frost.

The organizers at this first Urban Densification forum employed a discussion approach already used in cities like Beijing, Tokyo, Hamburg or Sao Paolo, aimed at improving our understanding of the complexities involved in implementing changes to city planning. Quality of life, sustainability, governance, mobility, technology and population density were among the key topics discussed by delegates. There was widespread agreement that these will drive change in Madrid.

“Quality of life in cities depends on factors such as urban services, the environment, public spaces, mobility and opportunities, but we also need to bear in mind how the people who live in a city see it,” pointed out IE School of Architecture and Design’s dean, Martha Thorne.

Antonella Milano of Ecosistema Urbano, José Guirao Cabrera, the general director of the MonteMadrid Foundation, as well as Edgar González, architect and blogger, provided their own visions of the challenges of transforming cities, highlighting the importance of digital participation, the arts, and the sharing economy in modern cities.

About Arup

Arup is a global firm of consultants, engineers and designers offering a wide range of professional services to clients around the world. Arup is the creative and inspiring force behind many of the most innovative and sustainable buildings, civil engineering and transport projects around the world.

Founded in 1946, its team of more than 12,000 professionals world out of 92 offices in 40 countries. Its experience is fed by the contribution of each one of its teams around the world through an international network of professionals whose activities are coordinated to work on projects on a global scale adapted to local needs.

www.arup.com

About IE School of Architecture and Design

IE School of Architecture and Design is one of five departments at IE University, and offers degree and post-graduate programs to students from more than 90 countries. Focused on design, critical thinking and the importance of an entrepreneurial approach, it helps students find their place in the field of architecture. It uses innovative teaching methods that combine online and face-to-face teaching and the experience of professionals, which have earned it a particularly relevant place in today’s world.

www.ie.edu