For the Love of Cities - why Urbaniser

One of my greatest heroines, Jane Jacobs, once said that “cities have the capability of providing something for everybody, only because, and only when, they are created by everybody.” But how does that work? How are cities created by everyone?

Armed with my toolbox of complexity science and economic theories, I’ve spent years exploring the multitude of forces that shape our urban lives. Turns out the secret to why great cities work, as Jacobs also explained, can be found in the small data – a close look at people’s daily needs, the way they move about, form new connections, and make use of both commercial and social spaces. Yet it’s only when enough people come together that urban magic really happens!

It turns out that once we reach a certain level of density, we get much better at observing, learning from others, competing, and effectively co-creating everything around us. Consider any transformational era in history and you’ll find a great city at its heart.

At its core, urban magic is all about serendipity! The surprises we’ll find, the people we will meet, the personal experiences we’ll have… this constant gravitation pull has been fuelling cities for thousands of years.

Urbaniser is building a set of innovative tools to help maximise and nudge this serendipity, helping to make city life a joy for all!

Dr Orit Gal, Founder