The Urbanist – What We Learned at the World Design Congress

Host: Andrew Tuck (A)
Guests: Lord Norman Foster (B), Julia Watson (D), Gregory Scruggs (F), Angie Brady (G), Joy Shigaki (E)
Date: September 18, 2025

Overview

This episode of The Urbanist explores key insights from the 2025 World Design Congress in London, focusing on how design can respond to climate change and improve urban life. Host Andrew Tuck and the Monocle team interview renowned British architect Lord Norman Foster and landscape architect Julia Watson about human-centric design, sustainability, and indigenous knowledge systems. The episode also highlights Seattle’s transformative Waterfront Park, providing a real-world example of how visionary urban design can reshape cities and communities.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Climate-Responsive and Human-Centric Urban Design

Guest: Lord Norman Foster (Interviewed by Carlotta Rubello)

• Sustainability’s Journey from Fringe to Mainstream
  Foster reflects that ideas now considered "green" or "sustainable" were once marginal but are now central to architectural discourse.

  “We were promoting everything that is now called sustainable green... in the late 1960s, early 70s... now it’s mainstream and everybody’s talking about it.” — Foster [01:59]

• The Transformative Power of Infrastructure
  Foster emphasizes the significance of public spaces and infrastructure over individual buildings, using the Millennium Bridge and Trafalgar Square in London as case studies.

  “The transformational effect... has been revolutionary. It’s now become the living room of London...” — Foster [03:58]

• Urbanization and City Forms
  He warns about the daunting scale of urbanization, advocating for compact, walkable, and historic-core cities over sprawling, car-dependent models.

  “Over the next 25 years is the construction of 11 cities the size of London every year for the next 25 years. So that’s a daunting challenge.” — Foster [04:44]

• Community, Exercise & Loneliness
  Foster highlights how well-designed urban environments promote health and reduce loneliness.

  “In cities, [loneliness] is a killer. It’s also promoting exercise, which is health.” — Foster [05:55]

• The Green Belt and Urban Planning Lessons
  Insights into Madrid vs. London’s density, and how London’s green belt policy historically limited sprawl.

  “London... has not sprawled in a way that many other cities has done. That’s a rather interesting difference...” — Foster [07:13]

• Historical Lessons and Citizen Engagement
  Foster leverages the adage "to look forward, look back," advocating learning from historical planning to inform future design, and calling citizens to active civic participation.

  “If you want to look far ahead, first look far back. There are links, there are lessons.” — Foster [08:20]
  “The city is about citizens. The words are synonymous. So go for it.” — Foster [09:08]

2. Indigenous Knowledge and Low-Tech Solutions

Guest: Julia Watson (Interviewed by Carlotta Rubello)

• Integrating Indigenous Knowledge into Design
  Watson discusses her background in Australia, the lack of indigenous knowledge in US design education, and her mission to bring traditional ecological wisdom into mainstream practice.

  "...Indigenous knowledge systems and their applied technologies can be built into everyday design education and everyday design practice, especially for city making." — Watson [10:27]

• Introducing ‘Lo-TEK’
  Watson coins and defines "Lo-TEK" as "Local and TEK" (Traditional Ecological Knowledge), a framework for vernacular, sustainable, resilient design.

  “So low tech is actually a word I made up... It stands for Local and Tek. And Tek is the Indigenous science of traditional ecological knowledge.” — Watson [11:38]

• Case Studies of Indigenous Resilience
  She shares global examples from Bali and Iraq where ancient techniques like rice terraces and floating settlements demonstrate adaptability and sustainability over millennia.

  “They’ve lived this way for six and a half thousand years. So we’re not looking at technology that was developed since the Industrial Revolution.” — Watson [13:08]

• Indigenous Knowledge as a Model for Climate Resilience
  Watson notes the contemporary adoption of indigenous designs (e.g., Sponge Park, rice terrace projects) in advanced urban infrastructures globally.

  “Some of our most resilient urban infrastructures... are actually being modeled on indigenous knowledge systems.” — Watson [15:46]

• Governance, Community, and Loneliness
  Indigenous systems operate on collective, reciprocal governance, offering lessons for combating loneliness and fostering belonging through design.

  “The intention of these systems primarily is about the collective and about creating relationships all around, both with each other and with the community.” — Watson [17:47]
  “If you can really understand the value and intention of these systems... you can actually get that buy in from the community and start to like build from the ground up.” — Watson [18:50]

3. Seattle Waterfront Park: A Model for Urban Transformation

Correspondent: Gregory Scruggs, with interviews of City Officials

• From Freeway to Civic Space
  The park’s creation involved the removal of an elevated highway, reconnecting the city to Elliott Bay and creating vibrant promenades, natural landscapes, and new public amenities.

  “Where there was once an elevated highway... there are now promenades, play structures, native plants, piers for concerts and festivals, restored heritage buildings, a brand new aquarium, a gravel beach, and stunning vistas...” — Scruggs [19:52]

• Long-Term Vision and Civic Leadership
  Angie Brady, Seattle's Waterfront Director, underlines strong civic leadership and stakeholder committee cohesion as key to maintaining vision and momentum through political changes.

  “What created that consistency for us and that momentum was really having a very strong group of civic leaders who were with us from day one.” — Brady [24:19]

• Programming and Diverse Use
  Joy Shigaki, president of Friends of Waterfront Seattle, details year-round programming, inclusivity, and local talent showcases to keep the park vibrant beyond tourist seasons.

  “You bring the best of local community... performers to have this intimate experience, to have people see themselves when they come down to the park and see people they know.” — Shigaki [25:59]

• Public Safety and Trust
  The park implements a unique, humane public safety model blending public-private partnerships, city services, NGO support, and community ambassadors.

  “The conversation around public safety... was how do we create a model to be able to ensure we have a humane approach to public safety?” — Shigaki [26:59]

• Restoring Urban and Natural Identity
  Landscape architect James Corner highlights the reawakened connection between city and water:

  “It’s Waterfront park in the service of Elliot Bay... I don’t think people realize just how spectacularly beautiful this is—was—when there was a viaduct in the way people literally didn’t know it was there.” — James Corner [29:43]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Lord Norman Foster:

  • “The city is about citizens. The words are synonymous. So go for it.” [09:08]
  • “If you want to look far ahead, first look far back. There are links, there are lessons.” [08:20]
  • “It’s now become the living room of London, the heart of London for cultural events, concerts, celebrations, festivities, whatever.” [03:58]

• Julia Watson:

  • “Most of this work was just not in any of the literature that I was teaching. So I really felt that there was an exploration into decolonized design...” [11:56]
  • “All of the biodiversity on this planet actually sits in the spaces of these indigenous communities.” [15:30]
  • “If you can really understand the value and intention of these systems... you can actually get that buy in from the community and start to like build from the ground up.” [18:50]

• Seattle Waterfront Park:

  • “The removal of the Alaskan Way viaduct and building a marquee park in its place has helped Seattleites rediscover their downtown waterfront and boosted civic pride.” — Scruggs [20:18]
  • “We also really highlight local talent... to have people see themselves when they come down to the park.” — Shigaki [25:59]
  • “It’s Waterfront park in the service of Elliot Bay... the light is gorgeous, the water is always different... people literally didn’t know it was there.” — James Corner [29:43]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Opening and Theme Overview: [00:12–01:30]
• Norman Foster on Sustainability and City Life: [01:59–09:24]
• Julia Watson on Indigenous Knowledge and Lo-TEK: [09:55–18:51]
• Seattle Waterfront Park—History & Impact: [19:47–30:19]

Tone & Style Notes

• The episode balances optimism with realism, highlighting both challenges (urbanization, biodiversity loss, loneliness) and inspirational solutions (citizen engagement, indigenous wisdom, infrastructure transformation).
• Both Foster and Watson urge listeners to value history, community, and collaborative action, making the episode both educational and motivational.

Conclusion

This episode provides a well-rounded view of how innovative design—rooted in history, informed by global voices, and responsive to local needs—can address sustainability and community in rapidly changing cities. From London’s pedestrian spaces to indigenous practices and Seattle’s reborn waterfront, the show presents a hopeful blueprint for urbanists, designers, and city lovers worldwide.