The future of cities is not only dependent on making them sustainable and connected hubs\u2014they must transform into accelerators of resilience, said Judith Rodin, president emerita of the University of Pennsylvania and The Rockefeller Foundation, during her keynote address at the \u201cImagine 2060: Delivering Tomorrow\u2019s Cities Together\u201d event in New York on September 14.<\/p>\n
Thought leaders recently gathered for the New York chapter of the Imagine 2060 series \u2014 held in partnership with Asia Society and AECOM \u2014 to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing New York and its waterfront as it works to reinvent itself in the global economy.<\/p>\n
\u201cExpanding populations, reduced resources and the rapid pace of technological, economic and climate change means our world is quickly reaching an inflection point,\u201d said Sean Chiao, president, Asia Pacific, AECOM.<\/p>\n
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Key among the challenges cities face is water, said Rodin (right). \u201cCities are recognizing that in the 21st century, they must build \u2014 and rebuild when hit \u2014 to live with water,\u201d she explained. \u201cLand vulnerable to extreme flooding in many places now is not being rebuilt for housing, but is being transformed into coastal buffer zones, parks and other uses that will protect from extreme weather.\u201d<\/p>\n
Overcoming these challenges will take collaboration among key stakeholders and the application of advanced technology, Rodin said. \u201cToday, technology is being integrated into the very skeleton of the urban fabric. This will lead to an acceleration in innovation.\u201d<\/p>\n
Among the technologies that can help drive change along waterfronts is 3D printing, which can dramatically bring down the cost of quality infrastructure, Rodin explains. Additionally, big data and machine learning can transform urban decision making. \u201cIt will also transform how politicians interact with their citizens,\u201d Rodin said.<\/p>\n
And transportation technology such as Hyperloop could drastically reduce the time it takes to travel great distances within cities, explained Rodin, while doing so in a sustainable way.<\/p>\n
The first panel discussion, \u201cReimagining the New York City Waterfront,\u201d focused on the need to transform aging areas into waterfront land that is resilient, sustainable, esthetically pleasing and rich in cultural offerings to the community.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a waterfront becomes available, how do you decide how we use it?\u201d asked Joanne Witty, vice-chair of Brooklyn Bridge Park. \u201cCommunity can and must be involved.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brooklyn Bridge Park was designed to embrace the water\u2019s edge and be resilient to storms. During Hurricane Sandy, the park benefited from its sandy soil and drainage systems. \u201cEverything survived,\u201d Witty said.<\/p>\n
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Panelists (left to right):\u00a0Philana Patterson, Andrew Kimball, Boon Hui Tan, Joanne Witty, Calvin Tsao<\/em><\/p>\n There is a desire within cities for places where people can come together in a safe way that\u2019s not over-regulated, says Boon Hui Tan, vice president for global arts and culture at the Asia Society. \u201cPlanning can do a lot\u2026to deliberately inject civic spaces that are energized by culture.\u201d<\/p>\n Waterfronts driving economic development<\/strong><\/p>\n For waterfronts to be economically successful in 2060, they need to be positioned for maximum industrial, commercial and logistical success, according to panelists during the second panel, \u201cThe Global Business of Waterfronts.\u201d<\/p>\n The main considerations cities need to plan for as it relates to their waterfronts are climate change, the rise and fall of economies and technological change. \u201cThe pace of change has been dramatic,\u201d said Kenneth DeWoskin, senior advisor and eminence fellow at Deloitte.<\/p>\n Panelists (left to right): Richard Lui, Kenneth DeWoskin, Roland Lewis, William Cole<\/em><\/p>\n And as economies change and waterfront communities are developed, funding should be top of mind, said Roland Lewis, president and CEO of the Waterfront Alliance. \u201cWe have a 21st<\/sup> century waterfront,\u201d he said. \u201cWe have Brooklyn Bridge Park; we have so many amazing new facilities that people are enjoying. But it costs money to maintain it. Finding ways to finance and govern these waterfronts is the unanswered question.\u201d<\/p>\n What do you want your city to be?<\/strong><\/p>\n For all the challenges cities are faced with, there is also tremendous opportunity. \u201cThoughtful development can lead to the preservation of neighborhoods,\u201d said Chris Ward, EVP and chief executive of New York Metro at AECOM.<\/p>\n Ward gave a presentation on AECOM\u2019s Southwest Brooklyn Case Study, which envisions a way to address New York\u2019s housing crisis, create economic opportunity and ensure resilience. \u201cUnless we end up finding a way to reimagine, redirect and reengineer the water\u2019s edge, we fundamentally have to face the fact that we have to retreat,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n That means urban planners, city-shapers and the citizens of local neighborhoods must come together to reimagine what they want their cities and waterfronts to be. It will take a combination of solutions, from new technology, to smart financing, to affordable housing, to resiliency measures, says Rodin. \u201cThere will be massive opportunities, and there\u2019s no substitute for minds that think mile-high.\u201d<\/p>\n The time to act is now, Rodin said. \u201cThe future of our cities will have a profound impact on the future of humanity.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/aecom.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/Panel-2-again-e1506447502489-1024x683.jpg\")
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