The event will involve discussing the project’s achievements and findings, as well as present key takeaways together with lessons learned for improving quality in the built environment through innovative strategies for the governance of urban design.
Launched in 2019 by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), the Brussels Bouwmeester Maître Architecte (BMA) and the University College London (UCL) and funded by European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme, the Urban Maestro project has explored and encouraged innovation in the field of urban design governance through enabling a better understanding of alternative non-regulatory (“soft power”) approaches, and their contribution to the quality of the built environment.
During these two years, Urban Maestro has been capturing and highlighting knowledge on how such initiatives are used in practice, with what purpose, and their impact on delivering better-designed places. The project has also contributed to the global urban debate and the realization of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by enhancing practices of urban design governance within Europe and beyond.
The event is co-hosted by UN-Habitat and the Directorate-General for Territory, within the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the EU. It is organized in two sessions:
In the morning, the Policy Dialogue will present the project’s main findings, illustrated by concrete examples related to the use of soft power in the governance of urban design. Policy implications at European, national and local levels will be debated.
The afternoon is dedicated to an Expert Forum which will offer a better understanding of the broad range of formal and informal tools available to decision makers. Through two series of discussion groups, participants will have the opportunity to interact with representatives of the 100+ practices identified by Urban Maestro. The afternoon will conclude with a roundtable discussion on future projects and activities in the field of urban design governance.