Join experts like Abha Joshi-Ghani, an urban development guru, and Professor Edgar Pieterse, a visionary in urban policy, as they dissect how cities earn their unique traits. They explore how historical contexts, colonial legacies, and cultural adaptations shape urban identities. Discussions highlight the resilience of areas like Manhattan and the blending of old and new architectural forms. The risks of cloning urban traits in new settings are also examined, prompting a conversation on context-specific planning amidst rapid global changes.