As climate change accelerates, cities are facing a new era of extreme weather, economic instability, and digital vulnerabilities. The need for climate-resilient urban design has never been more urgent. How do we build cities that not only survive but thrive in an unpredictable future? How can urban planning integrate sustainability, equity, and economic stability into its foundations?

Join Loren Sorkin, Global CEO of Resilient Cities, alongside a distinguished panel of global experts, for an unmissable discussion on how design, planning, and materials are reshaping the way we build and govern cities. This session will explore the cutting-edge innovations driving climate adaptation, digital preparedness, and regenerative urban development, with insights from thought leaders at the forefront of sustainable city-building.

The session will feature real-world case studies that showcase breakthrough solutions in urban resilience. Emma Bacon (Sweltering Cities, Australia) will share strategies for tackling extreme heat and creating cooler, more equitable cities. Loren Sorkin (Resilient Cities) will present Rotterdam’s water squares, a revolutionary design that mitigates flooding while enhancing public spaces. Caroline Pidcock will explore how regenerative design and nature-based solutions are transforming the built environment, while Scott Dunn (AECOM, Singapore) will discuss how innovative materials and net-zero design are reshaping sustainable construction. Gabriela Quintana Vigiola (UTS, Sydney) will offer insights into how urban design can foster social engagement in the cities of the future.

This session goes beyond theory—it’s a roadmap for action. Our expert panel will discuss how policy, governance, and cross-sector collaboration can fast-track resilience strategies, ensuring cities are better prepared for the next climate shock. From extreme heat to flooding, from digital infrastructure to sustainable building materials, this event will challenge conventional thinking and spark new ideas for the future of our urban spaces.

If you’re an urban planner, architect, policymaker, developer, or sustainability leader, this is the one session you can’t afford to miss. Join us and be part of the movement shaping the cities of tomorrow.

Key Speakers and panel:

1. Gabriela Quintana Vigiola -Senior Lecturer Planning /UTS, Gabriela is an urban planning and urban design researcher with an interest in the construction of place. Her work explores the meanings that people associate with physical urban spaces and how those meanings are enhanced or diminished by the activities that happen within them. She is an advocate for the design and development of spaces that reflect the needs of local communities and the potential of construction of place as a tool for social justice.

2. Emma Bacon – CEO and founder of Sweltering Cities working with city communities in hot homes and hot suburbs to campaign for and win more liveable, sustainable and equitable cities and prevent heatwave disasters.

3. Scott Dunn via video Singapore - Chief Strategy Officer and Vice President (Asia) at AECOM and Executive Committee Chair of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) Asia Pacific, participated as a panellist at the ULI Singapore-Singapore Land Authority (SLA) Geospatial Forum. Key topics included the role of geospatial technologies in fostering inclusivity, mitigating urban heat and driving decarbonization efforts

4. Caroline Pidcock - Caroline Pidcock has been shaped by the mighty water systems of the lands in which she was born (Grafton) and raised (Sydney) in NSW, Australia. She is inspired by the creative capacity of architecture and finding ways to explore potential for innovative and regenerative ideas bringing nature into the built environment.

* Keynote address by Loren Sorkin, Global CEO of Resilient Cities

SEE ALL SOLUTIONS HOUSE EVENTS HERE

To see all events happening at Climate Action Week Click here