American Planning Association

October 22, 2013 Despite the planning profession's origins in visionary thinking about the future of our cities, many contemporary planning practitioners are mired in the political battles of today and, therefore, can feel disconnected from the idea of imagining how the cities of tomorrow may have different needs and functions than the cities of today. According to architect and urban designer Marshall Brown, from the Illinois Institute of Technology, future cities will be rooted in but not beholden to current realities. The cities of the future will likely be "mash-ups," recombining and repurposing infrastructure and design features. Brown discussed his recent projects, including proposals for reimaging Chicago's Circle Center, and shared ideas about American cities and their futures.