Less than 100k. Urbanism and the future of towns and medium-sized cities

The city, as a way to organize the complexity of humanity, will be one of the highlights of the 21st century. It will be like this, same as it was during the 20th century, because it is one of the centers where the story of the humankind and what affects it is created. The city will have an important role in politics, culture, family, work and every field which defines a human being.

The city is a hub of discourse and forms of power. Globalization, new information technologies, social networks, people’s mobility and many other concepts are changing the shape of the city and the perception we have. The results, however, are neither fixed photos nor universal categories. There are quite a few circumstances indicating that the definition of the city will also be a conceptual battlefield.

What is a city? Why do discourses always take into account global cities, megalopolis, but are not focused on towns and medium-sized cities? What should be the answer of these places to the challenges of the 21st century in a context of globalization? How can they make contributions to other cities and interact with cities in different and remote countries and cultures?

That is why we would like to talk about these challenges in Faber; we are aware that there is a need to reflect on them from the perspective of medium-sized cities and towns as well. The terms of the debate that has to be created will also affect cities and towns that have the responsibility to achieve a territorial balance with big capitals. The inclusive capacity of urbanism has to reach such cities and towns that urban planning itself, at times, does not place at the center of the discussion.

That is the reason why at Faber we want to organize a stay dedicated to urban planning of medium-sized cities and towns. We are looking for urban planners, architects, sociologists, artists, writers, economists, anthropologists, political scientists, artists and all kinds of professionals and we encourage them to present projects that follow the lines of work and thought described above.