The lecture will explore the transformative potential of innovation in shaping sustainable cities of the future. As urban populations continue to grow, the need for smart, efficient, and sustainable urban environments becomes increasingly critical. We will delve into the strategic frameworks of masterplans that guide long-term urban development, ensuring resilience and adaptability. The principles and our approach to data-driven urban design in Foster + Partners will be described to create functional, attractive, and sustainable spaces that enhance residents' quality of life. The lecture will also delve into the role of urban AI, showing best practices to envision future cities where innovation, technology and sustainability converge to create liveable, equitable, and thriving urban communities.

Dr. Laura Narvaez Zertuche is an architect, urban designer, and a spatial scientist with over 17 years of international experience in urban design and master planning. She is a Partner in the Urban Design Group at Foster + Partners, where she leads people movement and data analytics within the firm. Her work incorporates evidence-based and research-led design that combines informed decision-making with simulation-powered design tools and strategic development of methodologies with their application to architecture and urban design. In addition to her professional work, she contributes pro bono as a Board of Advisor at Urban AI -an international think-tank focused on the ethical governance and sustainable application of artificial intelligence in cities. She also serves as a Lecturer at the Chair of Cognitive Sciences in ETH Zurich. Laura holds a MSc and PhD in Architecture and the Built Environment from the Space Syntax Laboratory at The Bartlett, UCL.

Image: Foster + Partners © - Marseille Vieux Port

This event will take place in person in the AA Lecture Hall and will also be live-streamed here.

You can also watch the Emergent Technologies and Design (EmTech) Jury from 3pm online here.