Urbanistica Podcast - Cities for People
Mustafa Sherif
A podcast about how we plan and design cities for people. Tune in and join listeners from over 145 countries.
I'm Mustafa Sherif, an Urbanist, Placemaker and studio manager based in Sweden. In this podcast, I interview people working in architecture, Palcemaking, urban planning and design about their projects, processes, methods, handbooks, challenges, leadership, and passions in life.
It’s not just about projects, it’s about the people behind projects.
In collaboration with AFRY (Urban Planning and Design section in Stockholm).
I'm Mustafa Sherif, an Urbanist, Placemaker and studio manager based in Sweden. In this podcast, I interview people working in architecture, Palcemaking, urban planning and design about their projects, processes, methods, handbooks, challenges, leadership, and passions in life.
It’s not just about projects, it’s about the people behind projects.
In collaboration with AFRY (Urban Planning and Design section in Stockholm).
Episodes
Mentioned books
Sep 20, 2025 • 39min
535. OBEL Award and HouseEurope! - Alina Kolar and Jesper Eis
In this episode, we sit down with Alina Kolar of HouseEurope! and Jesper Eis, Director of OBEL.OBEL is a foundation that recognises and rewards architecture's potential to act as a tangible agent of change.This year, the OBEL Award went to HouseEurope!, a citizen-led initiative advocating for a radical shift in Europe's housing culture, calling for renovation over demolition to fight speculation, displacement, and carbon emissions.Together, we discuss how OBEL is spotlighting architecture's political agency, and how HouseEurope! is mobilizing citizens across the EU to turn housing activism into legislation.Link to HouseEurope!'s ECI: https://eci.ec.europa.eu/052/public/#/screen/home__Keep Up the Good Work. Keep Loving Cities ❤️️All opinions expressed in each episode are personal to the guest and do not represent the Host of Urbanistica Podcast unless otherwise stated.Let's connect and talk further about this episode Mustafa Sherif Linkedin.Visit Mustafasherif.com for collaborations and nominations or email me at info@mustafasherif.comFollow Urbanistica onInstagram , TikTok, Facebook & Youtube channel.Thanks to Urbanistica Podcast partner AFRY (Urban Planning and Design)AFRY is an international engineering and design company providing sustainable solutions in the fields of energy, industry, and infrastructure.
Sep 17, 2025 • 32min
534. SWE Open House Stockholm festivalprogram - Joanna Messmer
Läs mer om programmet 3-5 okt 2025 och Open House Arkitektur festival härhttps://www.openhousestockholm.com/Om festivalen Open House Stockholm syftar till att involvera allmänheten i stadens utveckling och stimulera intresset för arkitektur och samhällsbyggande. Open House Stockholm är en del av det globala nätverket Open House Worldwide samt har ett treårigt samarbetsprojekt med Open House Europe.__Keep Up the Good Work. Keep Loving Cities ❤️️All opinions expressed in each episode are personal to the guest and do not represent the Host of Urbanistica Podcast unless otherwise stated.Let's connect and talk further about this episode Mustafa Sherif Linkedin.Visit Mustafasherif.com for collaborations and nominations or email me at info@mustafasherif.comFollow Urbanistica onInstagram , TikTok, Facebook & Youtube channel.Thanks to Urbanistica Podcast partner AFRY (Urban Planning and Design)AFRY is an international engineering and design company providing sustainable solutions in the fields of energy, industry, and infrastructure.
Sep 13, 2025 • 1h 22min
533. SWE En stad för vem? - Rebecca Rubin
I detta avsnitt möter vi Rebecca Rubin, som rör sig mellan forskning, undervisning och praktiskt arbete med fokus på hur arkitektur kan bidra till jämlikhet i vardagen. Vi pratar om hennes erfarenheter från London som Mayor’s Design Advocate, hennes roll som hållbarhetschef på Hemvist och den kommande masterkursen på KTH. Samtalet kretsar kring arkitektens roll i en tid av växande sociala klyftor, framtidens städer och hur yrket kan förändras i takt med AI och samhällsutveckling.__Keep Up the Good Work. Keep Loving Cities ❤️️All opinions expressed in each episode are personal to the guest and do not represent the Host of Urbanistica Podcast unless otherwise stated.Let's connect and talk further about this episode Mustafa Sherif Linkedin.Visit Mustafasherif.com for collaborations and nominations or email me at info@mustafasherif.comFollow Urbanistica onInstagram , TikTok, Facebook & Youtube channel.Thanks to Urbanistica Podcast partner AFRY (Urban Planning and Design)AFRY is an international engineering and design company providing sustainable solutions in the fields of energy, industry, and infrastructure.
Sep 6, 2025 • 60min
532. Parks, People, and Politics: Rethinking Cities - Gil Penalosa
Gil Penalosa, urbanist and founder of Cities 4 Everyone, known for his belief that “cities should work equally well for an 8-year-old and an 80-year-old.”Gil shares lessons from working in 350+ cities worldwide, his transformative work as Bogotá’s Parks Commissioner creating hundreds of parks and scaling up the Ciclovía, and his run for Mayor of Toronto. He explains what makes public spaces successful, the biggest challenges cities face today, and how to start building more equitable, people-centered communities.On a personal note, Gil reflects on his background, what drives him, and offers advice for students and listeners on shaping the future of cities.More about Gilhttps://cities4everyone.ca/__Keep Up the Good Work. Keep Loving Cities ❤️️All opinions expressed in each episode are personal to the guest and do not represent the Host of Urbanistica Podcast unless otherwise stated.Let's connect and talk further about this episodeMustafa Sherif Linkedin.Visit Mustafasherif.com for collaborations and nominations or email me at info@mustafasherif.comFollow Urbanistica onInstagram,TikTok,Facebook &Youtube channel.
Sep 4, 2025 • 52min
531. SWE 10-årsjubileum: Open House Stockholm Arkitekturfestival
Rikard Espling, initiativtagare/grundare Open HouseStockholm, och Joanna Messmer, projektchef Open House Stockholm TIllsammans driver de FADEN Projektledning AB.I det här avsnittet möter vi arrangörerna bakom Open House Stockholm – festivalen som i tio år har öppnat dörrar till stadens mest spännande byggnader. Vi pratar om idén som startade allt, de största milstolparna och utmaningarna på vägen, samt samarbeten med partners och internationella nätverk. Joanna och Rikard tar oss med bakom kulisserna och delar med sig av både minnen och framtidsvisioner, där årets tema Future Heritage står i fokus.Läs mer här https://www.openhousestockholm.com/__Keep Up the Good Work. Keep Loving Cities ❤️️All opinions expressed in each episode are personal to the guest and do not represent the Host of Urbanistica Podcast unless otherwise stated.Let's connect and talk further about this episodeMustafa Sherif Linkedin.Visit Mustafasherif.com for collaborations and nominations or email me at info@mustafasherif.comFollow Urbanistica onInstagram,TikTok,Facebook &Youtube channel.
Aug 24, 2025 • 52min
530. AI and Geospatial Analytics in Action - Alan Browne
I speak with Alan Browne — CEO and co-founder of Soarvo — a company using AI and geospatial analytics to help national infrastructure providers like Highways UK detect risks and prevent failures across roads, energy systems, and urban networks. Alan discusses how predictive technologies can create more resilient, equitable, and sustainable cities.He offers an insider’s perspective on bringing innovation into risk-averse public-sector environments, shares real-world examples of Soarvo’s work, and reflects on the leadership mindset needed to foster innovation within teams. Finally, Alan looks ahead at what's next for AI and geospatial analytics — and why smarter infrastructure is key to future-proofing our cities. __Keep Up the Good Work. Keep Loving Cities ❤️️All opinions expressed in each episode are personal to the guest and do not represent the Host of Urbanistica Podcast unless otherwise stated.Let's connect and talk further about this episode Mustafa Sherif Linkedin.Visit Mustafasherif.com for collaborations and nominations or email me at info@mustafasherif.comFollow Urbanistica onInstagram , TikTok, Facebook & Youtube channel.Thanks to Urbanistica Podcast partner AFRY (Urban Planning and Design)AFRY is an international engineering and design company providing sustainable solutions in the fields of energy, industry, and infrastructure.
Aug 15, 2025 • 19min
529. Chat GPT and Placemaking - Mustafa Sherif
I used the voice function in ChatGPT to talk with the AI. The voice you hear in the episode is generated by a machine, not a real person. So crazy! I chat with ChatGPT about the future of the Placemaking movement and how AI can help design more vibrant, community-driven public spaces.__Keep Up the Good Work. Keep Loving Cities ❤️️All opinions expressed in each episode are personal to the guest and do not represent the Host of Urbanistica Podcast unless otherwise stated.Let's connect and talk further about this episodeMustafa Sherif Linkedin.Visit Mustafasherif.com for collaborations and nominations or email me at info@mustafasherif.comFollow Urbanistica onInstagram,TikTok,Facebook &Youtube channel.
Jul 15, 2025 • 18min
528. Public spaces and Social Housing - Ethan Kent Placemaking X
This episode is from the Innovation Summit in the Social Housing Sector 2025 in Bahrain.I was honored to be invited to the Innovation Summit in the Social Housing Sector 2025, held from April 23 to 25 at Exhibition World Bahrain.The summit served as a dynamic platform for exploring innovative solutions in social housing, aligning with Bahrain's Economic Vision 2030.Key topics included sustainable construction, smart urban planning, community-centered development, and the role of the private sector in housing growth.The event emphasized collaboration between public and private sectors to foster economic growth and social development through improved housing strategies.For more information about the summit, please visit the official website: housingsummit.bh.
Jul 14, 2025 • 53min
527. Panel: Innovative Design and Technologies in Social Housing
This topic will be discussing improving the sustainability of social housing using innovative technologies and approaches to housing design, construction, financing and management. From the development of eco-friendly building materials to the implementation of a smart city concepts exploring strategies to design eco-friendly housing while integrating new technologies, green spaces and community areas.PanelistH.E. Dr. Maher Al Shaer Managing Director and Vice Chairman of - BahrainMr. Olli Liukkaala, CEO, Disperse, UKMr. Ethan Kent, Placemaking X, USAMr. Iain Hulse, Director, Social Housing & Construction Innovation, Building For Humanity_____This episode is from the Innovation Summit in the Social Housing Sector 2025 in Bahrain.I was honored to be invited to the Innovation Summit in the Social Housing Sector 2025, held from April 23 to 25 at Exhibition World Bahrain.The summit served as a dynamic platform for exploring innovative solutions in social housing, aligning with Bahrain's Economic Vision 2030.Key topics included sustainable construction, smart urban planning, community-centered development, and the role of the private sector in housing growth.The event emphasized collaboration between public and private sectors to foster economic growth and social development through improved housing strategies.For more information about the summit, please visit the official website: housingsummit.bh.
Jul 13, 2025 • 47min
526.AR من التشريع إلى التنفيذ: تعزيز آليات السكن الاجتماعي
الأطر التنظيمية القوية ضرورية للتنمية الناجحة واستدامة الإسكان الاجتماعي. ستتناول هذه الجلسة دور التشريعات في صياغة سياسات إسكان فعّالة، وضمان القدرة على تحمّل التكاليف، وتعزيز مشاركة القطاع الخاص. سيناقش خبراء من القطاعات الحكومية والقانونية والإسكانية أفضل الممارسات لسد الفجوة بين تصميم السياسات وتنفيذها على أرض الواقع، مع التطرق إلى التحديات المتعلقة بالتمويل، والامتثال، والصيانة طويلة الأمد. المتحدثين:أحمد صباح السلوم - عضو مجلس النواب، البحرينالدكتور أنس بن مفرح المغيري - مدير عام المعهد العربي لإنماء المدنسعادة الدكتور أيمن الحفناوي - رئيس البرنامج القطري وممثل مجلس التعاون الخليجي لموئل الأمم المتحدة للمستوطنات البشريةمصطفى شريف - مخطط حضري، صانع أماكن، مدير استوديوهذه الحلقة من قمة الابتكار في قطاع الإسكان الاجتماعي لعام 2025 في البحرين.لقد كان شرفًا لي أن أُدعى إلى قمة الابتكار في قطاع الإسكان الاجتماعي لعام 2025، والتي أُقيمت في الفترة من 23 إلى 25 أبريل في مركز البحرين العالمي للمعارض.وقد شكلت القمة منصة ديناميكية لاستكشاف الحلول المبتكرة في مجال الإسكان الاجتماعي، بما يتماشى مع رؤية البحرين الاقتصادية 2030.تضمنت المواضيع الرئيسية البناء المستدام، والتخطيط الحضري الذكي، والتنمية المرتكزة على المجتمع، ودور القطاع الخاص في نمو قطاع الإسكان.وقد أكدت الفعالية على أهمية التعاون بين القطاعين العام والخاص لتعزيز النمو الاقتصادي والتنمية الاجتماعية من خلال استراتيجيات إسكان محسّنة.For more information about the summit, please visit the official website: housingsummit.bh.
