Exploring the Future of Urban Innovation at Utopian Hours
From October 13th to 15th, 2023, Turin played host to Utopian Hours, a festival dedicated to the art of "city-making": the ideas, projects, and spaces that are enhancing urban life around the world. This event served as a platform for leaders of urban change, bringing together city-makers, activists, architects, and innovators who shared their experiences, sparking fresh perspectives on urban evolution and a profound reflection on the concept of cities.
Raffaele Gareri, CEO of Venturerock Urban Italy brought to the RoundTables a discussion on venture building impact on cities’ transformation through our Startup Studio model focused on Urban Innovation. He emphasized the critical role that his studio, focused on urban needs, can play in urban transformation. This Startup Studio, by addressing the fundamental needs of communities, has the potential to become an active player in the urban ecosystem, driving digital transformation in society.
The event featured the insights of prominent professionals, including Martin Knujt, Patrice Gillespie Smith, Baharash Bagherian, and Giulia Frittoli, who shared their expertise on urban development and innovation.
The festival reached its climax with the unveiling of a "Manifesto for a New City Making." This document introduces novel concepts and invites both guests and the general public to propose keywords for a fresh approach to urban evolution. This manifesto embodies the collective vision of a future where urban areas are not just concrete landscapes but vibrant ecosystems of innovation, sustainability, and human-centric development.
Utopian Hours was a remarkable journey into the heart of urban innovation, where ideas and dreams for our cities were exchanged and reimagined. It reinforced the notion that the future of our cities lies in the hands of those who envision positive change and are willing to embrace innovation to build more sustainable, connected, and inclusive urban spaces.