Transforming Communities Through Urban Architecture: A Conversation with Jaime Lerner and Hillary Brown

Originally aired September 25, 2014

Can individuals and small-scale initiatives really have an impact on global sustainability? The Security and Sustainability Forum and Island Press present a special conversation with visionary architect and urban planner Jaime Lerner and City College Professor and architect Hillary Brown about sustainable urban revival. The discussion draws from Lerner’s experiences captured in Urban Acupuncture and Brown’s publication Next Generation Infrastructure, exploring how changes to a community don’t need to be large-scale and expensive to have a transformative impact.

Speakers

Jaime Lerner

Former Mayor of Curitiba, Brazil; Author, Urban Acupuncture

Jaime Lerner was a visionary architect, urban planner, and three-time Mayor of Curitiba, Brazil, whose innovative approach to urban design transformed the city into a global model for sustainable transportation and planning. His concept of “urban acupuncture” — targeted, small-scale interventions that catalyze broader urban renewal — is captured in his book Urban Acupuncture, published by Island Press.

Hillary Brown

Professor, Spitzer School of Architecture, City College of New York; Author, Next Generation Infrastructure

Hillary Brown is a Professor at the Spitzer School of Architecture at the City College of New York and a leading voice on sustainable infrastructure and urban design. Her book Next Generation Infrastructure, published by Island Press, examines how cities can redesign infrastructure systems to be more resilient, multifunctional, and aligned with ecological and community goals.