The Next Generation of Cities

As populations grow and climate risks intensify, a new wave of urban innovation is taking shape. What will the cities of 2040 look like — and how can they work for everyone?

The next generation of cities may be defined less by a striking skyline than by the ability to adapt existing buildings. In this fictional district, a former warehouse becomes a school and workshop complex, while nearby streets are redesigned to support more residents without requiring every journey to be made by car.

Digital tools help planners compare options, but the decisive questions concern land, funding and public accountability. Who can afford to live near new amenities, and who maintains them when the initial project ends? A city’s future becomes more credible when those responsibilities are built into the first plan.

Illustrated inaugural edition · Fictional editorial copy