Alejandra’s thoughts and works on creating more just and sustainable cities
Welcome to Urban Matters, a digital space that brings together articles about current urban issues, reflections about the cities and places I have visited, my professional portfolio, my consulting services, urban events & resources, and much more! This is a personal and professional space, which are the same when passion meets work. Cities –the physical manifestations of human complexity, the settlements and systems we have created to organise and manage our societies– are the focus here.
This space is:
- Global: To really understand cities, we have to learn from all of them: big & small, planned & unplanned, successful & unsuccessful, cosmopolitan & secluded, urban & rural settlements, etc. Here I aim to gather insights from various corners of the world.
- Critical: Every single city in the world has its issues. These vary greatly in nature, scale, and complexity depending on the context. Understanding what is wrong, and what could be better is the first step in the quest to make cities better: more just and sustainable.
- Ever-evolving: Just like cities, and everything around us, this web: its content, thoughts, and the author herself, are in constant change: in self-criticism to learn, grow, and improve every day.
What’s the “MATTER”?
- Matter refers to the construction material from which the built environment, and everything we know, is made of
- Matter is also a subject, topic, theme, or issue that is worthy of exploring and understanding
- It also means importance. Urban affairs do matter, especially when we project 2/3 of the world will soon live in urban areas, cities matter now more than ever.
Alejandra’s thoughts and works on creating more just and sustainable cities
Welcome to Urban Matters, a digital space that brings together articles about current urban issues, reflections about the cities and places I visit, a professional portfolio, urban events & resources, and much more! This is a personal and professional space, which are the same when passion meets work. Cities –the physical manifestations of human complexity, the settlements and systems we have created to organise and manage our societies– are the focus here.
This space is:
- Global: To really understand cities, we have to learn from all of them: big & small, planned & unplanned, successful & unsuccessful, cosmopolitan & secluded, urban & rural settlements, etc. Hence, I aim to gather insights from various corners of the world.
- Critical: Every single city in the world has its issues. These vary greatly in nature, scale, and complexity depending on the context. Understanding what is wrong, and what could be better is the first step in the quest to make cities better: more just and sustainable
- Ever-evolving: Just like cities, and everything around us, this web: its content, thoughts, and the author herself, are in constant change: in self-criticism to learn, grow, and improve every day.
What’s the “MATTER” part?
- Matter refers to the construction material from which the built environment, and everything we know, is made of
- Matter is also a subject, topic, theme, or issue that is worthy of exploring and understanding
- It also means importance. Urban affairs do matter, especially when we project 2/3 of the world will soon live in urban areas, cities matter now more than ever!
Urbanist | World Traveler | Researcher | Consultant
To understand cities, I deep dive into the sensorial and cognitive experience that streets, people, and places provide. In my work, I explore how and why cities are the way they are today, and envision and strategize how they could be better tomorrow. For this, we must understand urban systems: the physical ones like water, electricity, or waste management, but most importantly the intangible ones: political, economic, and social systems that shape our cities.
I approach urbanism from a multi-disciplinary and open-minded way, with a focus on its social dimension. Cities have incredible potential to use their built and natural environments to enable and support people’s well-being and quality of life. I believe this can be achieved through effective urban governance that enables social innovation and life-centered urbanism. Find out more in my key publications:
Urbanist
My academic background is in:
- International Relations & Economics FIU, Miami
- Urban Studies
4CITIES Erasmus Mundus Joint Master with studies in:
- VUB & ULB, Brussels
- Uni Wien, Vienna
- KU, Copenhagen
- UCM & UAM, Madrid
- International Cooperation UCM, Madrid
- Just Sustainability Transitions
DRIFT Academy, Rotterdam
World Traveler
Learning takes place out of the comfort zone: pushing boundaries and questioning our own assumptions.
I am constantly in learning mode from different cultures, perspectives, and urban strategies. My knowledge and expertise also draws from my travels across:
- 42 countries
- 5 continents
- countless cities and towns
Researcher
I have ample experience conducting, designing and managing urban research throughout the world.
Research is a powerful tool to:
- Find empirical evidence
- Analyze critically
- Strategize
- Advocate for just and sustainable cities worldwide
I use systems thinking and strategic design to dig into the root causes of urban complex challenges and potential solutions.
Consultant
I have contributed to the work of various governments, businesses, NGOs, think tanks, International orgs, including:
- UN-ECLAC
- Institute for Human Rights and Business (IHRB)
- Building & Woodworkers International (BWI)
- Pan-American Development Foundation (PADF)
- City of Cartagena de Indias, Colombia
- Auroville, India
- EU Horizon 2020 Project Lightness
- Traza Territorio
“Be the change that you want to see in the world”
-Gandhi
The Philosophy
- Values: I am driven by social justice, transparency, equity, integrity, and ethics. Therefore, through my work and my journey, I strive to return power to the dispossessed, give voice to the muted, and tools to the willing
- Vision: Finding a balance between idealism and realism: a world that acknowledges and respects everybody’s rights, where we coexist with one-another and with the planet, and human life and dignity is valued more than financial profits.
- Mission: Improve the quality of life of people at a massive scale through effective and ethical urbanism that results in more just, inclusive, and sustainable cities.
This philosophy is expressed in the ‘Urban Matters’ logo:
The Fibonacci sequence, also known as the “golden spiral” or “golden ratio”, is a recurring proportion that is found in many elements of the universe, from atoms, flowers, plants, and animals, to music, the human body, and galaxies. The concept speaks of order and complexity, of evolution in a harmonious way, just as the evolution of cities should be. This pattern also symbolizes the necessity of positive social change at a massive scale in the world.
People & Nature:
The green leaf pointing upwards, towards the future, symbolizes the value of nature as an enabler of life and as an embracing receptacle for human settlements. The symbol is also a reminder of the imperative to preserve our natural environments.
The blue sphere represents the world, and together with the upward curved blue line it resembles a person with open arms towards others, open to ideas, knowledge and cultures. Its position under the green leaf reinforces the role and responsibility of human beings as drivers of positive (or negative) change in nature.
Together, the Logo represents what ‘Urban Matters’ stands for:
“Harmonious sustainable development that respects people and planet”
