Rethink urban planning and place climate consciousness above financial gains

Prof Deljana Iossifova

Prof Iossifova is Professor of Architecture and Urban Studies at The University of Manchester. She leads a portfolio of research on urban transformations, coexistence, and human-infrastructure dynamics, drawing together complexity and social practice theories. Iossifova is the author of Translocal Ageing in the Global East (2020), lead editor of Urban Infrastructuring (2022) and Defining the Urban (2018) and Editor-in-Chief of The Journal of Architecture.

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Urban infrastructure, from sanitation to transportation, must focus on inclusive, community-centred solutions that go beyond dominant ideas to blend tradition with innovation in response to urban crises in diverse global settings.

Now is the time to...

• explore how everyday infrastructure-related practices and technology can improve cities while prioritising climate and community needs;
• work closely with communities to develop practical infrastructure solutions rooted in local knowledge, shifting away from one-size-fits-all approaches;
• encourage diverse conversations about different ways to build and maintain city systems, challenging common assumptions;
• engage in discussions regarding critical infrastructural systems, encompassing essentials such as sanitation and transportation, within the context of city planning and development;
• advocate for policies that adapt infrastructure to meet evolving environmental and community needs, fostering fairness and sustainability in cities for all residents.

Find out more

• Visit the SUSINFRA website to explore a portfolio of research on urban infrastructural transformations

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Related research

• Learn more about The University of Manchester’s global inequalities research; advancing our understanding of the world in which we live and addressing inequalities to improve lives
• Find out more about Creative Manchester, which develops and sustains interdisciplinary research communities across the University and promotes creativity as a practice across three themes: Creative Industries and Innovation, Creativity, Health and Wellbeing, and Creative and Civic Futures
• Explore the Sustainable Futures platform to find out more about how the University is bringing together internationally leading research communities to create truly sustainable solutions to urgent environmental challenges