We are three architects / urban planners from different countries that met in Polytechnic of Milan and while working together discovered common interests in social justice in our field.Together we participated in a workshop from TU Delft and created a Manifesto for the Just City, aiming to engage non-planners in the construction of a better and more equal future. In our studies we also realized how Global North urban demands differ greatly from the ones in the Global South.

We created Urban Diorama to write, share and reflect about those different demands and approximate urban planning tools to non-experts. A Diorama is a model, an experimentation, and we consider it a great analogy to what we want to promote: people’s participation is crucial to achieve better cities. We believe urban planning and architecture should be a tool for the empowerment of people and communities. For that, we need to develop projects which are socially and environmentally sustainable, considering different points of view, methods and exchanged knowledge – academic and empirical. The engagement of individuals, communities and institutions, is important to create a fairer world. We recognize the role of our professions in shaping communities and with our work we want to state our commitment to justice in cities.

Our foundations are our dreams of a better city – a better life – for all. In these uncertain times (but honestly, when were times ever certain?) we choose to work towards our Utopy, until it turns into a reality.