URBANovation

Young Urbanists of Southeast Asia

URBANovation (from Urban & Innovation) is an ecosystem of podcast, engagement events and policy advocacy on innovative ideas for emerging cities in Asia, highlighting solutions both big and small for the complex challenges faced by rapidly urbanising regions. Cities in East and Southeast Asia continue to expand, as 120,000 people move into cities every single day. They face continually evolving crises, from increasingly common heatwaves and floods to the persistent yet growing issues of traffic and inequality. If we are to address these dynamic challenges, we cannot stick to traditional methods of designing, building, and governing cities. The good news is that there are people across the region who are working on innovative solutions. They come in scales big and small, from infrastructural solutions like sponge parks that absorb floodwater, to smartphone apps that enable everyday people to participate in shaping their communities. URBANovation shares these solutions to show that we can rethink urban systems, and discuss the adaptability and feasibility of these solutions across local contexts. Featuring guests experienced with working in Asian cities, for the complex challenges faced by rapidly urbanising regions. We want to show that a better urban future is possible.

Episodes

  1. 02/07/2025

    Epsiode 2: Urban Energy Retrofits, with William Temple

    Much of the buzz around ‘smart’ urbanism revolves around projects that build entire cities from scratch with the latest technologies and architectural trends. The reality, however, is that most people will continue to live and work in existing buildings and existing cities. To really tackle climate change and impact the lives of as many people as people, we need to make existing buildings more energy-efficient. How can we do that? In this episode, we will explore the opportunities and challenges for urban energy retrofits in Southeast Asia, with William Temple (CEO, Ampotech). _______ Cities in East and Southeast Asia face many urgent issues, from traffic congestion and flooding to inequality. Solving them requires changing how our cities are built and governed. The good news is people are working on different solutions to these issues, and they come in many different scales - from large infrastructure projects to local, replicable community programmes. URBANovation hopes to share the stories of these solutions, and discuss how they can be adapted to different contexts in our region. In this episode, we want to talk about why we chose to tell these stories in a podcast, and why we think the timing is right. URBANovation (from Urban & Innovation) is an ecosystem of podcast, engagement events and policy advocacy on innovative ideas for emerging cities in Asia, highlighting solutions both big and small for the complex challenges faced by rapidly urbanising regions.

    Epsiode 2: Urban Energy Retrofits, with William Temple
  2. 12/14/2024

    Episode 1: Designing with Water, with Herbert Dreiseitl

    Southeast Asian urban communities have long struggled with water resilience, with many experiencing relentless flooding, clean water shortages, and wastewater issues. In trying to resist these problems, many cities and regions invest in infrastructure to ‘fight’ nature. What if we could instead design with water, harnessing the region’s natural strengths to absorb floods, enhance biodiversity, and improve liveability? In this episode, we will take a look at how nature-based solutions can make Southeast Asian cities more resilient through a conversation with renowned landscape architect Herbert Dreiseitl. _______ Cities in East and Southeast Asia face many urgent issues, from traffic congestion and flooding to inequality. Solving them requires changing how our cities are built and governed. The good news is people are working on different solutions to these issues, and they come in many different scales - from large infrastructure projects to local, replicable community programmes. URBANovation hopes to share the stories of these solutions, and discuss how they can be adapted to different contexts in our region. In this episode, we want to talk about why we chose to tell these stories in a podcast, and why we think the timing is right. URBANovation (from Urban & Innovation) is an ecosystem of podcast, engagement events and policy advocacy on innovative ideas for emerging cities in Asia, highlighting solutions both big and small for the complex challenges faced by rapidly urbanising regions.

    Episode 1: Designing with Water, with Herbert Dreiseitl

About

URBANovation (from Urban & Innovation) is an ecosystem of podcast, engagement events and policy advocacy on innovative ideas for emerging cities in Asia, highlighting solutions both big and small for the complex challenges faced by rapidly urbanising regions. Cities in East and Southeast Asia continue to expand, as 120,000 people move into cities every single day. They face continually evolving crises, from increasingly common heatwaves and floods to the persistent yet growing issues of traffic and inequality. If we are to address these dynamic challenges, we cannot stick to traditional methods of designing, building, and governing cities. The good news is that there are people across the region who are working on innovative solutions. They come in scales big and small, from infrastructural solutions like sponge parks that absorb floodwater, to smartphone apps that enable everyday people to participate in shaping their communities. URBANovation shares these solutions to show that we can rethink urban systems, and discuss the adaptability and feasibility of these solutions across local contexts. Featuring guests experienced with working in Asian cities, for the complex challenges faced by rapidly urbanising regions. We want to show that a better urban future is possible.