Studio Chats: Rethinking the Future of Urbanism
What happens when the principles of good urbanism collide with economic realities, cultural values, and the way people actually live?
In this month’s Studio Chat, McCullough Studio Design Leader Benjamin Arcia sits down with urban designer Howard Blackson for a candid conversation about the future of San Diego and the evolving ideas shaping our cities. From the overlooked details that transform everyday urban experiences to the challenges of reimagining Balboa Park, their discussion questions conventional approaches to urban design and explores what it takes to create places that bring people together. As their conversation explores, sometimes the biggest questions in urbanism begin with the smallest details:
“What is one small, seemingly insignificant thing that has an outsized impact on how you experience a city?”
Blackson shares his perspective on why designing for social and cultural value can lead to lasting economic benefits, how San Diego’s unique landscape could become an asset for urban connectivity, and why the future of our cities may look different than we imagine. Their conversation offers a fresh perspective on the relationship between the built environment, the natural world, and the communities that inhabit them.
What could San Diego become if we rethought the way we connect, build, and invest in our city?
Listen to the full Studio Chat below to hear Benjamin and Howard explore this question and more.