OFC and V&A Waterfront Bring Leaders Together to Strengthen Collaboration for Better Public Spaces

Our Future Cities and the V&A Waterfront, convened leaders in placemaking, urban design, and city development from across the sectors to mark UN-Habitat’s World Cities Day by discussing how greater collaboration could improved public spaces.

The event brought together perspectives and projects from Africa, Europe, and beyond. Presentations included:

• Rashiq Fataar – 15 Years of Public Space Impact at Our Future Cities: Working Today for Better Cities of Tomorrow
• Dr Gail Jennings – What Do Women Want from Cities? Centre for Mobility, Access and Public Space
• Karla de la Bat (Stander) – Reflections from Placemaking Europe Week 2024 in Reggio Emilia

Key discussions underscored the importance of embedding gender-responsive thinking into policy, adequately resourcing stakeholder engagement processes, and strengthening auditing and monitoring practices across public-realm projects. The conversations also reaffirmed South Africa’s leadership in public-space innovation and place-based design.

The discussion highlighted the value of collaboration, evidence-based practice, and human-scale design in shaping more resilient and inclusive urban futures.