The Megacities Foundation

The Megacities Foundation in the Netherlands began as an initiative by UNESCO asking the International Academy of Architecture (IAA) to focus on the problems of the explosively growing megalopoli. Prof. Jan Hoogstad, IAA representative from the Netherlands, started a nuclear group of experts and professionals to develop a programme of activities that would bring the topic of urban development and growth to a wider platform of debate.

The Megacities initiative originates from the awareness of the future role of cities as the dominant type of settlement for humanity. Cities will play this role not just as a matter of fact but out of necessity as the only way of housing the world’s increasing population. An intensive rural occupation pattern would certainly lead to an ecological disaster. For the last 17 years, the Megacities foundation has been on the forefront of the metropolitan planning debate both in the Netherlands and abroad. With our illustrious list of speakers and their avant garde view on the megacities and the role of spatial professionals who influence and manage them, the foundation has set a benchmark in profession of architecture, urbanism and planning.

The future activities organized by the Megacity Foundation will address various challenges. We encourage you to survey the Megacities website for more detailed information.

What's New

Other Stories
Creating Megacity in the North?

Creating Megacity in the North?

The Guardian [28 January 2013]: The transport secretary, Patrick McLoughlin, will be joined by the prime minister and cabinet colleagues as he outlines his proposed route for the Y-shaped network north of Birmingham to Manchester and Leeds. Well-placed sources believe the route will include a new spur to Crewe and run via Manchester airport, helping [...]

Full Story
Controlling traffic in megacities: Mumbai

Controlling traffic in megacities: Mumbai

BBC news [19th March 2013]: The streets of Mumbai are seldom quiet. Day or night they echo to the sound of revving cars, rumbling lorries and the angry-wasp buzz of auto rickshaws. And then there are the horns…[see more at bbc]

Full Story
Electric cars | Only for the rich?

Electric cars | Only for the rich?

The Guardian – Electric cars will never be a mass-market solution to climate change and should not get government subsidies, the chief executive of Jaguar Land Rover said on Tuesday . The British and other governments have introduced generous subsidies to encourage motorists to switch to emission-free electric cars. Ralf Speth said it was wrong [...]

Full Story
New Book by Carlos Cazalis | Occcupy Sao Paolo

New Book by Carlos Cazalis | Occcupy Sao Paolo

Since 2005 Carlos Cazalis has been photographing some of the world’s largest cities, Occupy São Paulo being the first chapter in his Urban Meta project. As one of the world’s mega cities reaching a population of 20 million, the city of São Paulo perpetuates a tremendous urban stress to it’s residents, especially in terms of [...]

Full Story
Gridlocked World

Gridlocked World

BBC News – Currently, some 260 million people live in 30 megacities around the world. Traffic congestion is a major problem for pretty much all of them. According to current trends and forecasts, it is a problem that could soon become relevant for billions more people. In two or three decades, it is forecast that [...]

Full Story
Megacities goes Moscow!

Megacities goes Moscow!

Megacities Foundation curated Carlos Cazalis‘s photo exhibition in Moscow Biennale May 23- June 7, 2012. This time we are tackling the issue of identities. Much has been said about fragmentation and disparate identities in the megacities. However, we can also discern new identities that the megacities allows to emerge. While the attractive power of megacities [...]

Full Story
Q&A with experts | The Pressing Issues for Megacities

Q&A with experts | The Pressing Issues for Megacities

Q: What are the pressing issues that colour the current debate on the megacities? Kingsley E. Haynes A: The current debate needs to recognize the importance of Megacities in emerging economiesas sources of wealth (in contrast to sources of poverty or displacement), sources of rising expectations, and sources of fundamental change–political, economic, organizational, and cultural–as [...]

Full Story
Join our group discussion in LinkedIn

Join our group discussion in LinkedIn

Question: What are the pressing issues for megacities? [click below to join the discussion] What are the pressing issues for megacities? | LinkedIn Roberto R. • I guess the most pressing issue for megacities is “inclusion” (in every sense: in the job…

Full Story
Tag Cloud of the Megacities Book

Tag Cloud of the Megacities Book

With the help of Wordle, we found out what the most talked about terms and words in our book.

Full Story
More

Activities

News

About the Foundation

Opinions

Publication

© 2013 MEGACITIES Foundation | Exploring a Sustainable Future Suffusion theme by Sayontan Sinha