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On November 17, the Institute for Urban Design hosted New York 2030, a day-long event focused on Mayor Bloomberg’s PlaNYC, an ambitious project to turn New York into the world’s most sustainable metropolis. Anticipating that the city will be home to one million more inhabitants by the year 2030, PlaNYC includes strategies that improve housing, open space, transportation, energy, and air and water quality. Will the plan really “help to ensure a higher quality of life of generations of New Yorkers to come” and “contribute to a 30% reduction in global warming emissions,” as it promises? How will the plan change the course of development in the city, and the way the government operates? The authors of the plan and a panel of experts discussed the plan in detail and how it will affect professionals and citizens alike.

The event was organized by Olympia Kazi, the newly appointed director of the Institute for Urban Design. The symposium is divided into two parts: The morning session will feature presentations from representatives and specialists of the administration, while the afternoon will be open for discussions with policymakers and urban design experts (see next page for program). “With this event,” says Kazi, “the Institute for Urban Design wants to take up the challenge launched by the City for the future of our metropolis. Public attention so far has focused mainly on a few elements of PlaNYC such as the idea of congestion pricing. Our mission is to provide a forum for a thorough discussion of the plan, offer the public a better understanding of its scale and aspirations, and contribute to the democratic process of dialogue between the City government and civil society.”