Successful Cities Consider Peoples’ Needs and Innovation, According to Historian

Renowned British historian and author, Ben Wilson, is convinced that cities that focus on the inhabitants’ actual wishes and needs rather than profit will continue to be more and more successful.

Successful Cities Consider Peoples’ Needs and Innovation

Ben Wilson, author of the book “Metropolis: A History of the City, Humankind’s Greatest Invention” has spent the bigger part of his life travelling around the world to analyse the progress of big cities and to understand what makes cities successful.

Wilson is one of the keynote speakers at Future Forum, which is taking place from the 8th to the 10th of September in Ülemiste City, the largest business district in the Baltics, where he will discuss the impacts of urbanisation. Prior to his upcoming appearance, Wilson gave an interview on these topics.

Urban life attracts many people. So many, in fact, that urbanisation has become an ominous concept in its own right. How do you think the problem of urbanisation should be tackled?

In addition to urbanisation being a catalyst for climate change, new cities have mostly developed on sites that are biologically most valuable, for example, coastal areas. Cities in these areas have expanded and are becoming more diffuse and spread out. In that sense, urbanisation is indeed a problem.

However, the solution is a part of the process of urbanisation. More diffuse settlement is actually not good for the environment, as a more compact way of life would be much more environmentally sustainable. The number of people inhabiting the planet is increasing at an insane pace and the trend of diffuse settlement could actually be a threat to the planet’s ecosystem.

A denser settlement is useful not only to the environment but also to the people themselves. Cities have less poverty and better educational opportunities and are places where ideas mix, which supports innovation. The most successful districts around the world are primarily the most innovative ones: for example, Soho in London or some areas of Manhattan, which have been in constant transformation.

What is important is to preserve a balance with nature in the city, and to think about how to support a diverse ecosystem. Many cities today are doing it and creating more and more green areas. This makes the cities more attractive and natural to people because deep down, people want to be close to nature.

What advice would you give city planners to promote the growth of businesses and enable talents to develop themselves?

Doing business and generating ideas in a city is, to a large extent, random – it happens in places that are not necessarily intended for that purpose. History has shown that more densely populated areas encourage productivity and give rise to good ideas. Take for example the city of Mesopotamia, which grew 6000 years ago, where people lived densely together for the time and made innovative developments in a short period of time.

When developing a commercial town or district, the priority should be creating a city that people will really like, that makes them feel welcome and supports innovative thought. We must consider what people want, not what is economically useful. When you create an environment where people want to socialise and gather, the city will also attract talented people who are motivated to act.

Connectivity is also an important factor. Especially in big cities, people will assume that they can jump on a subway or bus at any time. This will make the city more compact, and make its physical dimensions seem smaller.

A known ‘star’ in the history of smart districts is Silicon Valley. How are districts like that born?

Silicon Valley was created outside the city, but the Apple headquarters were designed with the best characteristics of the city in mind. This created an opportunity for random meetings and bouncing ideas off other people, just like in cities. On the back of the university, it became the perfect place for the cleverest technological gurus to meet and exchange ideas.

An important factor in creating Silicon Valley was the type of lifestyle it expresses. The lifestyle had to be one that would make innovative people want to be a part of that environment.

Getting into the realm of fantasy, what cities or districts could be the so-called future cities? What would be their attractions?

I believe that in a post-pandemic world, mid-sized cities which can offer a reasonable balance between the office and working at home will flourish. That means active districts, a green environment, and a diverse culture. For example, Amsterdam is headed in that direction, where they are seeking to have less cars in the streets and more green areas and places to socialise or for the children to play.

Education also has an important role in making a city attractive, especially to international talents who are looking for a suitable living and working environment. People want their children to be able to have a good education and a successful city should provide diverse educational opportunities.

The attraction of a city can also be its individuality. When planning cities of the future, the type of mass-produced city with buildings, shops and an environment that looks like other cities should be avoided. Rather, care should be taken that a city has its own face. The development of a city in business, the urban space and culture is promoted by so-called innovation hubs, which also support a city’s individuality.

When thinking about the future, cities could also be more democratic or open to everyone. That is undoubtedly a difficult challenge, but it is worth striving toward less separation between the richer and poorer inhabitants in modern cities and having children from different backgrounds go to school together. All in all, it is the people who occupy the districts and keep a city together, forming its identity.

For more information about the contents, events and speakers of Tallinn Future Forum, go to: www.futureforum.ee

Prepared by Suzanna Hayek