In an op-ed, Matthias NAVARRO, co-founder of REDMAN, questions the way we build in the face of climate, economic, and social crises that are redefining our lives and cities.
“Building should not lock cities in place, but enable them to evolve, adapt, and withstand shocks.”
For him, we’ve spent too long designing spaces optimized to the point of absurdity, forgetting that a viable territory is, above all, “a livable, breathable, and inhabitable place.” Urban resilience isn’t something you declare — it’s something you build by embracing “diversity, reversibility, and intelligent use” rather than focusing solely on form and performance.
“Putting residents back at the center, allowing them to reclaim their environment, and structuring spaces for connection and solidarity” — that’s how we must envision tomorrow’s cities.
The goal isn’t to produce more, but “to produce better, and more mindfully,” by integrating the cycles of life and the actual needs of each territory.
For Matthias Navarro, “breaking away from the logic of acceleration and making room for unpredictability and the natural evolution of cities” is now essential.