Introducing Season 3: Still Reimagining

Transcript: 

Hello and welcome back to Cities Reimagined. I'm your voice of choice, Johannes Riegler, and this is a trailer for Season Three of Cities Reimagined—just a quick sign of life and an update on what’s been happening.

When I started Cities Reimagined, or when I launched it in 2023, there was a consensus—or at least it seemed to me—that cities are changing. They’re transforming to meet climate targets. They’re working to become more fair and just, and to provide opportunities for all. That’s essentially why I started Cities Reimagined: as a space for conversations that fall somewhere between a formal presentation and an informal coffee table chat.

Soon after starting Cities Reimagined, I realised that this podcast became something more. It became a tool—to dig deeper, to mix personal stories with lived experiences and knowledge for re-learning. A source of inspiration that people can draw from, both in their work and everyday life.

Now, one and a half years—almost two years—into the show, a lot has changed. There’s more uncertainty. There’s more chaos in the world—political chaos. The climate crisis is becoming more evident and is having visible effects on our cities. We’re seeing a rise in populism, neglect of climate commitments, and a very strange new conservatism.

These changes can feel confusing, overwhelming, and discouraging. But I’d argue that giving up is not really an option. Even when we feel overwhelmed, we sometimes just need a little push to keep going. To try to make this planet a better place—or at least to stop harming it further.

That’s exactly what we’re going to do in Season Three of Cities Reimagined. We’ll bring you the stories of people and projects that are making cities better places for all.

Season Three is now in full production, and I can already tell you there are some very exciting conversations coming up—ones that will bring fresh insights on urbanisation processes.

We’ll talk about urban mass tourism and its impact on everyday life. We’ll go to Ljubljana in Slovenia to talk about how to mobilise underused spaces in our cities. We’ll talk to the city administration in Ghent about their rewilding strategies. We’ll head to Mechelen to explore urban nature, biodiversity, and river water quality. We’ll also dig into the night-time economy—perfect if you're into partying or working at night.

There’ll be many personal journeys too—stories from people who’ve built careers around cities: what led them there, what motivates them, and how they navigate their work. We’ll also go to Bruges to talk about the city’s relationship with water and how it connects to the extreme drought conditions they’re facing in Flanders.

And that’s just the beginning of Season Three. There’s much more to come.

I’d suggest subscribing to Cities Reimagined so you don’t miss an episode. You can also follow us on Instagram for background stories and updates. Feel free to reach out on LinkedIn, or via email at johannes@anthropocene.city.

All in all, there’s a lot happening at Cities Reimagined HQ—and plenty coming up in the weeks and months ahead. I hope to catch you soon. Bye-bye.