Urbanity is a conference for the creators and custodians of cities in our Asia-Pacific region.
The Urban Developer revealed 15 new and engaging speakers to Urbanity's lineup this week.
This now totals more than 30 innovative and leading minds exploring this year’s theme, which asks: What is our urban legacy?
Since the potential of cities are central to Urbanity’s theme, we reveal which global destinations inspire our keynote speakers most.
"I just came back from Manchester, it has a great spirit of rejuvenation. They are adapting their urban fabric and have a fantastic tram network integrated with the public realm. Most importantly they are a genuinely welcoming bunch! "
"Melbourne, it's home. It's where my family is. It's the first city we as a family called home after immigrating from South Africa. We have always been grateful for how Australia and Melbourne has shaped us."
"Being born in Melbourne I've watched it grow. I love it for its people, its cultural diversity, rich history, its diverse neighbourhoods and sporting obsession.
It's a global city where opportunities still abound."
"It's gotta be Melbourne. Any cuisine you could wish to eat cooked by migrants from that region. Paired with our fantastic Australian produce, equals a good time."
"I love where I live, inner-city Melbourne. World-class food and café culture meets parks, laneways and innovation in a city where I walk to work each day."
"Hobart has recently captured a piece of my heart, the strength of community there is incredible, and the city is so well balanced with the natural environment.
I'm a sucker for a small city with a big heart."
"Amsterdam has always been a well-planned city, which integrates water engineering with urban development, and continues to do so with its development directions already mapped out for the next 30 years.
It is a Smart City leader that just keeps on reinventing itself, and I think other cities can learn a lot from Amsterdam."
"Berlin has the perfect blend of culture, art, architecture, equity with a splash of socialism mixed in, and all within a five-storey height-limit, so beautifully human scale."
"Paris is my favourite city – the birthplace of the 'flaneur', there is no better place to be in a city. "
"It’s a cliché but I love Paris… The scale and density of the city is lovely. The different neighbourhoods or arrondissements all have their own appeal and highlights. And besides the urban characteristics – the history, art, culture and food!"
"Paris! It's a city created long before the car, it has a scale which relates to the daily lives and the distances people can travel on foot. Paris is comprised of a collection of neighbourhoods. In Paris you can live in the city and everything you need on a daily basis is within walking distance, markets and stalls, cafes, services all exist.
The shopping mall and the suburbs have coaxed the life out of many cities, but Paris has remained intact."
"My favourite city changes with each new one I visit. For now, it would still have to be Paris as the architecture is so beautiful and everything is very elegant."
"Venice for its car-free, people-friendly public spaces, laneways and canals and Amsterdam for its bikeways and walkable streets."
"New York, New York – it’s a cliché for a reason. There is simply no more exciting a place where you can do anything anytime. Nonstop eating, drinking, shopping, laughing, looking, dancing, did I say eating?"
"Edinburgh – it's a city, the size of a village that feels like a town. "
After Urbanity's sell out success last year, there are less than 150 tickets left at the discounted second release price. Don't miss out on this engaging program that includes keynote addresses, panel discussions, workshops and more!
Click here to learn more about the program, speakers and to secure your spot.
