Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the Our Cities Ourselves program?

We want to accelerate progress towards creating safe, secure and lively cities. The global world population is growing exponentially, mostly in the developing world. Our reliance on cars is causing huge problems, with transport alone responsible for around 25% of greenhouse gas emissions. Growing congestion and parking problems create present major problems.

Our Cities Ourselves shows that the solution is in our grasp. The pictures of what these ten cities could look like in 20 years’ time shows very powerfully how we could benefit if we implement simple, smart, sustainable transport solutions.

2. Why is the exhibition called Our Cities Ourselves?

Our exhibition shows us what our environments would be like if we planned urban centers that respond to people’s needs, not those of cars. Once we ask ourselves what sort of cities we want, we stand a much better chance of creating environmentally, economically and socially sustainable urban centers.

3. What is the relationship between cities, climate change and transport?

Cars have been center-stage in city planning since the end of the Second World War. A key problem with this is carbon emissions: transport currently makes up an enormous 25% of greenhouse gases. Emissions from the passenger vehicle sector have been increasing rapidly in recent years, totaling over 5 billion tons of CO2 emissions annually.

4. Who is funding the exhibition?

Funding for the program comes from the Volvo Research and Education Fund and the ClimateWorks Foundation.

5. Why did you select these ten cities?

These are cities that have proven to be leaders in innovation in sustainable transport and are fertile ground for further transformation. The cities have leadership potential to make the transformational leap in urban planning that’s required and where ITDP has worked. As most urban growth will occur outside Europe and the United States, most of the cities are in developing nations. These specific cities will be part of this drastic urban population growth. However, they also have the opportunity to leapfrog over the mistakes made by developed nations, especially the reliance on cars.

6. Why did you select these ten architects?

These are all leading architects with a close knowledge of their city and a track record of innovative urban design and commitment to putting sustainability at core of their work.

7. Were the architects paid to participate?

The architects received a modest honorarium for their participation.

8. Are any of the projects on show in the exhibition realistic?

All the designs are intended to represent realistic goals that could be implemented by 2030.

The renderings demonstrate the potential for each of these sites and beyond. Many of the sites are indicative of common challenges and opportunities found in most cities around the world. Similarly, many of the proposed solutions are transferable. The exhibition is intended to open our minds to how we can use sustainable transport to transform our urban centers for the benefit of residents and the environment, within realistic spending limits.

9. Are you going to try to make these projects happen? How?

We worked with the architects to make sure the renderings are grounded in a solid understanding of sustainable transportation. Our field offices will now use the attention and excitement generated by the exhibition to talk to city leaders about the specific ideas. In this way, we can encourage municipal leaders to see how approaching urban planning from a sustainable transportation perspective can provide cost effective, environmentally friendly solutions.