A wide range of renowned policymakers, architects, designers, developers, city planners, restaurateurs and others who help shape and define city life -- in New York and around the globe -- will bring their expertise and vision to bear at the fourth annual City of Tomorrow Summit, on October 13 and October 14.
Presented by the 92nd Street Y and Hundred Stories, the summit features virtual panel discussions that will explore and examine cities through the lens of a post-pandemic world. The majority of the talks are free to the public, and speakers will tackle such topics as: architecture and design in the city of the future; the developers’ new normal; how to incorporate open space in cities; the future of New York; the future of restaurants and hotels; how public transportation will adapt to the moment; and the importance of cultural institutions, among others. T
he lineup includes over 40 speakers, including architect Charles Renfro, architect/designer David Rockwell, urbanist Richard Florida, designer Thomas Heatherwick, New York City Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver, Helsinki Mayor Jan Vapaavuori, restaurateur Daniel Boulud, Acting MTA President Sarah Feinberg, Sidewalk Labs CEO Daniel L. Doctoroff, and FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel, among many others.
Registration is now open to the public; a detailed schedule, as well as the current roster of speakers and bios, can be found on 92Y's website. Virtual press passes and interviews are available upon request.
"The pandemic has presented us with tremendous challenges, but also a rare opportunity to reimagine New York and how we live in cities," said 92Y CEO Seth Pinsky. "This summit aims to engage the public in that re-imagining process, and to answer some tough questions head on, drawing on the creativity and expertise of the very people who make our cities thrive. The road to recovery for New York and other cities will be long, but it is time for us to stop focusing on what is wrong and start coming together to propose a path forward." “This year’s dialogue focuses on themes none of us can afford to ignore — resiliency for the city, post-COVID solutions for the years ahead, prioritizing the people and community in our planning, and more,” said Robin Dolch, President of Hundred Stories. The New York City headquartered PR and marketing firm has collaborated with 92Y on real estate, design and architectural events since 2015.
Delos is the title sponsor of the City of Tomorrow summit. Lead sponsors include EQ Office, Mount Sinai, SCAD and YLighting, and supporting sponsors include The Durst Organization and Jamestown. “As we begin the process of reopening our buildings and cities in the wake of COVID-19, it is critical that we take an evidence-based approach to ensure the health and safety of occupants when we return,” said Paul Scialla, Founder and CEO of Delos and Founder of the International WELL Building Institute. “These conversations and the collective actions of leading organizations and experts will allow us to not only address today's most pressing health concern, but to take with us innovative strategies that will help us build a more resilient and equitable future.” ELLE DECOR is the official media sponsor, aligning their first-ever November issue entirely dedicated to cities with this event celebrating the vitality of cities and showcasing the talent and innovations that will ensure their prosperity for generations to come.
CITY OF TOMORROW: EVENTS AND SPEAKERS
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13
CITIES BEYOND NEW YORK: WHAT’S WORKING? With Vishan Chakrabarti, Anthony Foxx, and Jan Vapaavuori, Moderated by Nicole Flatow How are other cities – in the U.S. and beyond – responding to challenges? Who is implementing the new ideas that work? What hasn’t worked, and why? A methodology might be applied to what our own city and lessons we might learn from failed attempts. Our cities are scattered, but our challenges our shared: sustainability, public health, infrastructure, more equitable societies—a global discourse has never been more essential. MAKING CITIES SMARTERJessica Rosenworcel, Daniel L. Doctoroff and Daniel Castro, Moderated by Emily Tisch Sussman With 50% of the world projected to be living in cities by 2050, the application of urban technologies is an essential investment for a sustainable and equitable urban fabric. Who is at the forefront of these advancements and does New York stack up? What needs to happen for us to see the robust data connectivity necessary for optimal access to public health and education, optimization of the flow of vehicles and pedestrians? What are the smartest pathways to smarter cities? A panel of experts will weigh in on those questions, among others.
CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS AND COVID: THE PIVOT, THE POTENTIALWith Brian Jones, Max Hollein, Louise Mirrer and Seth Pinksy, Moderated by David van der Leer Culture and the arts are the lifeblood of New York, as they are for many cities. How have New York’s cultural institutions adapted to the pandemic? What infrastructure changes can we expect to emerge? And what has this crisis taught us about delivering cultural experiences in new ways that might transcend crisis? This panel of expert will answer those important questions, among others. MAKING HOSPTIALS WORK BETTERWith Niam Ghandi, Lionel Ohayon, Paul Sciala, Moderated by Kirsten Waltz How is the pandemic reshaping patient care? How is a physical space—a hospital, a physician’s office, a clinic—impact care, treatment and recovery. Hear perspectives from America’s leading medical institutions, health experts and architects about how hospitals and related facilities are being reimagined to provide next generation levels of care, cure and patient empowerment. BRINGING NEW YORK BACK With Scott Rechler, Kathryn Wilde, Sarah Kaufman, Moderated by Seth Pinsky How do we get New York City back on its feet post Coronavirus? What is being done to restore our economy, fill vacant storefronts, return workers to their office buildings, address homelessness, make mass transit hum, and bring our residents home? These experts weigh in. BUILDING A MORE EQUITBLE CITY With Eran Chen and Charles L. Davis II, Moderated by Jonathan BowlesCharles L. Davis II As New York prepares for the post-pandemic “new normal,” what opportunities can be seized to address years of systematic racism in our infrastructures? If now is not the time to explore ways to develop affordable homes near transit hubs, safe and accessible public spaces and new public charter schools, how can we be sure that the revitalization of the city will create a more equitable metropolis? Join a panel of experts who are working on the front lines for significant lasting change, for all of New York City. LOOKING BACK IN LOOKING FORWARDWith Ric Burns How has history shaped the New York City we currently inhabit? What lessons from the past can we take with us to reimagine the future of the greatest city on earth? Filmmaker, writer and historian Ric Burns, who created the acclaimed eight-part PBS series, New York, brings his unique lens to these questions, and more.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14
OPENING REMARKS
With Town & Country Editor-in-Chief Stellene Volandes
THE POWER OF INTERIORSWith ELLE DÉCOR Editor-in-Chief Asad Syrkett, Alexandra Lange and Forest YoungSince the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, our homes have served as spaces of refuge and places from which to engage our neighborhoods and cities in a volatile time. In a conversation with design writer Alexandra Lange (of The New Yorker, The New York Times , and Curbed) and graphic designer and Yale University senior critic Forest Young, we'll explore the power of interiors to—through the design choices we make—provide a platform from which to express support, dissent, and an abiding love for our cities.
CELEBRATING BIOPHILIA With Thomas Heatherwick, Moderated by Sarah Medford In conversation with the prominent culture writer and editor Sarah Medford, Thomas Heatherwick, the founder of the London-based Heatherwick Studio, will talk about his team’s approach to making more people-orientated places. Referencing projects such as Little Island in NYC, the recently completed Eden in Singapore, and a new cancer care center in the UK, Thomas will talk about how looking to nature in the design of new buildings and cities can help to create better places for everyone.
THE DEVELOPERS’ NEW NORMAL With Helena Durst, Alison Novak, Jean-Gabriel Neukomm and Michael Phillips, Moderated by Vivian ToyWhat do our residential, retial and office buildings look like homes and apartment buildings look like in a post-Covid world? Hear from renowned developers and architects about how they're adjusting their pre-Covid plans and creating entirely new ones. Get a glimpse of what the next generation of New Yorkers can expect from the built environment (whether they are working or living in it), and how part of a successful city includes community amenities. Plus: a look inside some of the most highly anticipated NYC residential properties coming to market.
PARKS AND RE-CREATION: OPEN IDEAS FOR OPEN SPACES With Charles Renfro, Mitchell J. Silver and Pam Elam, Moderated by Signe Nielsen New York City’s nearly 2,000 public spaces, including beloved parks and plazas, are facing extreme financial hardship due to budget cuts. And the role of these spaces now goes far beyond recreation. How does the city plan to preserve and grow our precious open spaces? How are we addressing the controversy surrounding monuments? This panel will spotlight the urgency surrounding public spaces and their critical place in a livable and thriving society.
ARE PEOPLE GIVING UP ON NEW YORK CITY? With Jonathan Miller, Dr. Ayman El-Mohandes, Mindy Fullilove and Lindsay Greene, Moderated by Brad Grossman Know someone who has fled NYC for the Hamptons, the suburbs, the mountains, or destinations in between? Seems we all do. The narrative commonly heard is that people are leaving the city in droves. But does the data actually indicate real or long-term demographic shifts? The "pandemic-powered urban exodus” theory, if real, would lead to profound ramifications from housing prices to the loss of the populations pivotal to maintaining the city’s cultural life, and its prosperity and growth. How are people feeling about New York City, and cities in general, during the pandemic? A panel of experts will focus on those questions, among others.
DESIGN, ARCHITECTURE AND WELLNESS With Paola Antonelli, Emily Anthes and Paul Scialla, Moderated by Elizabeth SegranWe are all thinking more critically about our homes and offices and the relationship between buildings and health. The pandemic has shed a spotlight on how housing conditions correlate with a wide range of health problems. It has also opened up a new line of study that looks at the other end of the spectrum, and asks questions like: can our built environments improve overall well-being? Can they enhance our energy levels and moods, our sleep and maybe even prevent disease? Hear from leaders of the wellness design movement on the applications gaining traction today in both the public and private spheres.
MOVING US IN THE GOTHAM OF TOMORROW With Sarah Feinberg, Colin Koop and Wayne Ting, Moderated by Greg Lindsay How will NYC be moving its denizens —projected to be over nine million by 2040 — in the decades ahead? It’s no secret that our airports, train stations and subways are due for much-needed large-scale overhauls. From Grand Central to Penn-Moynihan Station, LaGuardia to JFK Airport, and below ground to above, mass transit is at a pivotal moment. Along with these infrastructure changes, next-gen technology and the city’s mission to reduce carbon emissions and congestion, our metropolis’ transportation ecosystem is at an inflection point.
ADDRESSING ISOLATION IN A TIME OF SOCIAL DISTANCING With Brian Geyser, Maja Mataric and Emilia Simon-Thomas, Moderated by Rachel Jones More than a quarter of the US population lives alone. With the pandemic mandating quarantines and social distancing, our nation has been forced to reckon with another public health crisis: loneliness. The ramifications of social isolation can be devastating, manifesting serious health conditions and shorter lifespans. In many cases the magnitude of isolation risk twice exceeds that of obesity. How can we mitigate these effects in our most at-risk populations? How can social services, architecture, infrastructure and more offer solutions to foster the human connection that averts a public emergency? This panel discussion will touch on those questions and topics, among others.
RESTAURANTS AND HOSPITALITY 2.0 With Daniel Boulud, David Rockwell and Roni Mazumdar, Moderated by Hillary Reinberg The pandemic has dealt the restaurant and hospitality industries a devastating blow. Here in NYC, nearly 200,000 food-service workers are jobless, and at least 80% of restaurants have been unable to pay their rent. Hotels have been equally hard hit. Yet, necessity is the mother invention, and already we are seeing NYC’s leading restaurateurs and hospitality mavens re-enter the fray with innovative proposals and solutions. Outdoor dining is only the beginning. This panel discussion will touch on those topics and more.
CITYLAB’S RICHARD FLORIDA IN CONVERSATION WITH EQ OFFICE’S LISA PICARDRichard Florida, the co-founder of CityLab, senior editor at The Atlantic and professor at the University of Toronto’s School of Cities and Rotman School of Management, has been hailed as one of the greatest American urbanists of all time. His 2017 book, The New Urban Crisis , highlighted the way that the forces powering the growth of superstar cities like San Francisco, New York, Boston, Washington DC, San Diego, and London also generate their vexing challenges: gentrification, unaffordability, segregation, and inequality. Lisa Picard is President and CEO of EQ Office, a U.S. office portfolio company wholly owned by Blackstone's real estate funds. Lisa’s vision for the commercial real estate industry is uniquely rooted in cultural anthropology and her leadership at EQ is centered around designing workplace destinations that maximize human potential and bring humanity back into the workplace. Join Richard and Lisa as they have a discussion about the future of cities and workplaces, and how to create more innovative, resilient and creative metropolises amidst rapid automation and technological change.