The Big Picture

Exploring the trends shaping our modern cities through a curated collection of articles and op-eds

AI for Good, at Scale?

May 02, 2019

Below is an extract from Trent McConaghy’s article, which explores how “AI for Good” can be scaled to address the UN Sustainable Development Goals. One approach is to close the gap between problem owners and problem solvers using blockchain public utility network. It was originally published on April 22, 2019, by Ocean Protocol. To read…

The Future of Transport is Here

May 02, 2019

The original article was published in the World Bank group Transport for Development blog. Technology is transforming transport with a speed and scale that are hard to comprehend. The transport systems of tomorrow will be connected, data-driven, shared, on-demand, electric, and highly automated. Ideas are moving swiftly from conception, research and design, tested to early…

Fostering Holistic Wellbeing in Cities

Apr 11, 2019

Too often cities are reactively addressing wellbeing as a silo issue, rather than examining ways to holistically improve the quality of life for citizens. Together with Novartis Foundation and the Novartis US Foundation, this Big Picture explores the challenges and benefits that cities, nonprofits, and businesses face when prioritising and focussing on citizen urban wellbeing.…

Living Together, Happier Together

Apr 11, 2019

The annual Happiness Report was published late last March – with highlights including the need for government to take happiness and wellbeing more seriously. This year’s theme, Happier Together, focuses on what we have in common, rather than what divides us. In the wake of current affairs, and the political climate around the world, this…

We Need to Unlock the Potential for Cities to Achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals

Apr 11, 2019

More than half of the world’s population will live in cities by 2050[1]. This statistic is frequently used to indicate the rapid pace at which urbanization is occurring. What it doesn’t indicate, however, is the host of health challenges that this population growth will bring, including a significant burden on health systems, especially resulting from…

A Recipe for Urban Wellbeing

Apr 11, 2019

On All Things Urban, we share jobs in the urban sector from all over the world, and from all over the spectrum – far beyond traditional urban planning or design. There, you can easily find such job titles as city services interaction designer, or urban mobility modelling specialist – but despite the growing popularity of…

Smarter City: Intra-Connected Cities Streamlines Wellness

Apr 11, 2019

Today, cities represent only 2 percent of the planet’s surface but houses approximately 50 percent of the world’s population. Generating 80 percent of the global CO2 emissions, they consume 75 percent of our energy. According to the United Nations, there will be 2.5 billion people in cities by 2050. At this rate, we will urbanize…

From Poverty to Pride, South African Philippi Initiatives Finds Meaning in Wellness

Apr 11, 2019

South Africa is one of the most unequal countries in the world. According to the World Economic Forum’s Inclusive Development Index 2018, no other nation has higher income inequality. Much of this has to do with South Africa’s historical legacy. The majority of the population was dispossessed by colonization and further impoverished by apartheid. People…

Montréal, A City of Wellbeing

Apr 11, 2019

Read the french version As Mayor of Montréal and Advisory Board Member for The NewCities’ Wellbeing City Award, I would like to first and foremost congratulate all finalists prior to the Wellbeing Cities Forum for their work in placing wellbeing at the core of their design, planning, and urban policies. Home to NewCities’ headquarters, I…

Improving Wellbeing Using Three Key Pillars in Collaborative Infrastructure

Apr 11, 2019

Missing Infrastructure I’ve been thinking a lot about infrastructure lately, and not just about roads, bridges, cables, and pipes. Those are indeed all part of infrastructure, and very essential parts of infrastructure at that. Without these physical structures, keeping the lights on, driving your car, even flushing the toilet would be a whole different ball…

How Can Smart Cities Improve the Health and Wellness of Citizens?

Apr 11, 2019

Smart Cities Solutions offer innovative means to proactively address health and wellness. It lends relief to an already strained healthcare system, one which faces ever-increasing demands and quality expectations in light of continued urbanization, industrialization, an aging population, climate change, and growing healthcare costs.   Design with the future in mind It’s often been said…

Innovative Approaches to Urban Climate Action

Mar 19, 2019

Together with our presenting partner ENGIE, we have brought together experts from across the globe to explore how private, public, and non-profit sectors can work together to mobilize research and innovations, so cities can be more productive while lowering their carbon footprint. Presented by: