Experts set to explore who gets to shape the cities of tomorrow
16 September 2026
What will the cities of tomorrow look like – and who gets to shape them? A panel of experts from leading national organisations will come together at The Box Plymouth later this month to explore how design, planning, research, and communities can influence the future of our cities and neighbourhoods.
Taking place as part of ‘Voyage of Discovery’, a free festival of science and research across Plymouth, Devon and Cornwall, ‘The Way We Live: Designing Cities of Tomorrow’ will take place on Friday 25 September from 6-8pm and will bring together researchers and practitioners working at the forefront of urban design, planning and community development.
The panel will be led by Professor Katharine Willis, from the Centre for Place at the University of Plymouth, and will include Nikki Van Gimmsergen, Senior Programme Manager at the Design Council; Simeon Shtebunaev from Social Life; Daniel Slade, Head of Practice & Research at the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI); and Hannah Sloggett, Co-Director of Nudge Community Builders.
The evening will explore how research and innovation are shaping the cities and communities of the future and consider the role people and communities can play in making those places more sustainable, resilient, and inclusive.
The discussion will also look at how design, data and planning decisions affect everyday life – from the places where we live and work to how we move around our cities and connect with our communities.
The event links to the European Union Mission for Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities, which aims to support cities in becoming more sustainable and resilient while putting citizens at the heart of the transition.
The panel will be followed by an opportunity for the audience to put their questions to the experts before informal discussion and networking.
Professor Katharine Willis, panel lead, said:
Cities are shaped by many different people, organisations, and decisions, but the people who live in them should have a meaningful role in shaping their future. This event is an opportunity to bring together different perspectives and ask some important questions about how we design and plan the places we call home.
The event takes place a month before The Box opens a major exhibition called The Way We Live, bringing together contemporary art, sculpture, installation, painting, photography and film plus historic collections and archives to explore the idea of home from a range of different perspectives.
'Voyage of Discovery' is part of 'European Researchers’ Night', a pan-European event funded by the European Union that brings science and society closer together and aims to encourage young people’s interest in science. European Researchers’ Night takes place simultaneously in more than 460 cities across more than 40 countries in Europe and beyond.
Free tickets for ‘The Way We Live: Designing Cities of Tomorrow’ can be booked now.