What is the Architecture of the (Livable) Future?
- Michael Mehaffy
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
Updated: 4 hours ago
The 62nd conference of the International Making Cities Livable (IMCL) series will explore the research and lively debates, in the beautiful and inspiring case study of Potsdam, Germany, October 15-18, 2025
ABOVE: Potsdam and the Berlin region offer a wealth of lessons and case studies for livable cities, towns and suburbs.
POTSDAM - The next conference of the International Making Cities Livable - the venerable conference series begun in 1985 - will be held here in this beautiful and historic city, and still a case study of dynamic transformations.
At a time when built environment professions are challenged as never before to meet the pressing needs of people and planet, debates are still raging about the appropriate "architecture of our time." Is it a futuristic vision of strange new shapes, or avant-garde artistic expressions? Is it a continuation of the early 20th century "machine aesthetic" featuring boxy buildings and cities, only with new green features added? Are our buildings (and cars, and cities) still just "machines for living in?"
This is also a time when astonishing new findings from the sciences are providing remarkable insights into the human and biological factors of our urban world. Research in neuroscience, neuroaesthetics, environmental psychology, sociology, medicine, and other fields, are highlighting the inadequacies of conventional methods, and pointing to new approaches and new possibilities.
A growing citizen movement is also rejecting the old conventional methods, and some are demanding a return to traditional and Classical forms. Indeed, research does show that many citizens do not share architects' preferences for aggressively "modern" contemporary buildings, and that the sentiment is remarkably cross-cutting across political, age, gender, and other demographic categories.
Yet there is a persistent idea that the revival of traditional forms and patterns -- proven to be well-loved, successful and enduring over centuries -- is somehow "inauthentic" and inappropriate for a "modern" era. This idea still governs many schools and boardrooms. But is this idea sound? Has it been carefully examined in the light of evidence?
And if it is not sound, is the answer only to return to specific traditional and Classical characteristics? Is this what will be required to create a more livable future? Or is there perhaps another path (or paths) that is more creative, more eclectic, but still more successful from a human and ecological point of view than contemporary practice? We will explore these questions.
However, we will do so with careful consideration of the research evidence -- which its too often missing from many contemporary debates. This, then, will be the theme of the 62nd IMCL conference: "What is the Architecture of the (Livable) Future?" To do so, we will examine the latest research findings from environmental psychology, cognition, neuroscience, sociology, anthropology, medicine, and even physics and mathematics.
Potsdam, Germany is a fitting venue for this exploration. The city has a rich architectural and urban history, up to and beyond the devastation of World War II, and through the reconstruction of modern buildings under the Communist government of East Germany. Since reunification, however, the city has begun to restore many of its traditional and Classical buildings, as well as adding new traditional buildings. Along with these have come lively debates.
We will examine these debates, in Potsdam and beyond, and the case-study evidence from local projects as well as other projects around the globe. We will also evaluate the tools and strategies for implementation.
October is an excellent time to travel in Germany, with lower-cost travel, fewer crowds, and generally beautiful crisp autumn weather. There are also excellent opportunities for side trips to other parts of Germany and Europe.
The conference will also take up a wide range of these and other timely urban challenges:
Shaping the critical edges of public space
Promoting walkability
Exploring neuroscience, neuroaesthetics and cognitive architecture
Creating multi-modal travel
Providing access to daily needs (e.g. "15 minute cities")
Making resilient climate-friendly and resource-friendly cities
Creating affordable and diverse housing for all
Exploiting biophilia and nature-based solutions
Creating markets, local foods and local economies
Making better public spaces (including streets) with great placemaking tools
Promoting healthier cities for people and planet
Frontiers of architectural and urban research: What do we know, what do we need to know, and how do we disseminate it?
Begun in 1985, the IMCL is a a unique international, interdisciplinary, peer-to-peer conference of city leaders, built environment researchers, professionals, and NGO heads, with intimate (around 100 attendees) gatherings at instructive and inspiring case study locales, to share the latest knowledge and the most effective tools and strategies to meet our pressing urban challenges.
Speakers at our most recent conference in October 2024 included over 50 city leaders from the Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia. Attendee comments included “Truly a great conference,” “Fabulous sessions… Wow!,” “It was terrific,” “Thank you for hosting this magnificent event!” and “Thank you for the great conference sessions… [and] the knowledge sharing and inspired messages from people from around the world.”
For more information, or to submit a no-obligation abstract for presentation at the conference, visit https://www.imcl.online/potsdam-2025.