Leo Hollis: "To build consciously means to think carefully about everything, putting people's needs at the center of the process"

Historian and urbanist Leo Hollis, author of the international bestseller "Cities are Good for You: The Genius of the Metropolis," will be one of the speakers at the 100+ forum. In his opinion, cities are perhaps our greatest invention, but also one of the greatest threats to the future of humanity. On the eve of the forum, Leo spoke in more detail about his beliefs, and also shared his opinion on what "conscious construction" is the central theme of this year's 100+.

– A few years ago, speaking at the spatial development forum in St. Petersburg, you said that you should not think about life in buildings, but about life among buildings. Explain your point. Who should take care that there is life between buildings, and why is this necessary?

– My ideas about the nature of the city are called social urbanism. I believe that despite the appearance of large buildings and the density of buildings, the city is actually a very human space created for people. Simply put, the best city is the one that is designed and managed with people's needs in mind. That's why I'm asking the following questions: who owns the city? Who is it for? How can we design a city around people? That's why the focus on living between buildings is a top priority in my mind.

– In the book "The Genius of the Metropolis" you write that the spirit of the city is not public buildings and architectural innovations, but the connections of many people gathered on its territory. Why are these connections useful?

– The pandemic raises many questions about how people interact, about what happens when we get together: about the dangers and benefits of large gatherings of people. The coronavirus has changed our ideas about touching each other and protecting our personal space. These restrictions pose serious problems for, in my opinion, one of the greatest advantages of the city: when we come together, we become something more than just the sum of our parts. At the same time, there is a complex strengthening of power in a number of aspects of urban life. Our life in cities has become a combination of natural and cultural, and self–organization in large urban communities has unexpected external effects, such as more efficient use of energy, increased creativity, and higher well-being.

– In the book "The Genius of the Metropolis" you say that only people themselves can cure "urban ulcers". What does it mean? Are city managers powerless? And what should this "treatment" look like?

– City management takes place from top to bottom: from the mayor's office to the streets. But this approach narrows down the broader definition of the word "politics." In fact, "politics" is everything that has to do with the city. In addition, this approach ignores the increasingly emerging forms of power and control that operate from the bottom up. A community-based organization can be innovative and extremely reliable. Informally speaking, an ordinary city street is governed by what one of my heroines, Jane Jacobs, calls "eyes on the street." Because a viable and dynamic community often becomes the best form of governance.

– Recently, the term "creative economy" has been widely used. How do you interpret it and why does it directly affect the development of cities?

– I have mixed feelings about the creative economy. Creativity is obviously an important urban feature that needs to be developed, and in a post-industrial economy, creativity and the service sector are vital. But how to define creativity and does it include only what makes a profit? Where do good ideas come from and who is allowed to implement them? The creative economy, as it is often used, is complex. She cannot appear in the desert because she is very attached to the area. Attempts are often made to impose the creative economy from above with the help of PR and huge investments. But creativity comes from the bottom up, it arises from human relationships and long-term immersive planning.

– According to your forecasts, by the end of the century, most of humanity will live in cities. What do you think awaits people? How will digitalization affect cities? What needs to be done to make the future more comfortable?

– This is a huge series of questions! I can't predict the future, so I won't answer the first one. On the third question. I also consider the issue of happiness and comfort in the city to be a difficult one. Perhaps this is what Plato meant when he spoke of eudemonia, which is often incorrectly translated. It means "prosperity," not happiness. And that's what we should strive for. A city should be a place where people can experiment in life and explore the best forms of social interaction. The most important thing is that this should be a collective effort, not the individual goal of each individual resident.

How will digitalization affect cities? It changes everything. And, like the invention of all new technologies, it entails both advantages and terrible consequences. During this pandemic, I relied entirely on digital forms of communication, but I really miss the freedom of human contact that we took for granted last year. We will soon see what kind of life we will be able to return to, but, undoubtedly, digital technologies have now become an integral part of our existence. But in these realities, we still have to ask ourselves the same questions: who owns the city? Who is it for? And who is excluded from it?

– The topic of our forum is "Conscious construction". How does it manifest itself in your life?

– This is a very broad topic and at the same time provocative. "Construction" involves the creation of buildings by human hands. On the other hand, all the issues of city construction are political: it concerns people's lives, how they work, move, interact. Thus, to build "consciously" means to think carefully about everything, putting people's needs at the center of the decision–making process. Conscious construction takes into account not only the design of buildings or the economic issues of making a profit, but also human activity. These are both social and environmental issues. And environmental issues cannot be considered separately from society.