25 Aug

Future-Proofing Urban Spaces

“The number of people living in cities by 2050 will have risen by 70%.”

Ikea have recently unveiled their new future-living laboratory, Space10, https://space10.io, that explores how we can enhance the way we live and interact with the world around us.

The constant growing population and increase in urbanisation will create the need for better space consideration. These spaces need greater meaning and purpose for us to co-exist in. Space10 invest their time in developing sustainable ideas and technologies to future-proof urban living.

This has made us think further about the importance of placemaking for tomorrow’s society. Effective placemaking plays an essential role in communities, cities and the way we live. Does this mean that there will be a much greater requirement for well considered placemaking and a greater emphasis will be placed on the same, as the need for more meaningful and responsive space grows? Public spaces determine how we interact and co-exist. If co-existing becomes so compact, how do we then design for both personal space and social spaces?

Promoting people’s health and well-being through their surroundings is exactly what well thought out communities are all about, so could well planned placemaking be the key to unlocking the potential challenges of a growing society?