Join leading architects, policymakers and urban innovators for a day of conversations during London Climate Action Week.

Join us for a day of inspiring conversations during London Climate Action Week, bringing together architects, policymakers, material innovators, and urban foresters from the UK and abroad to discuss creative and structural responses to the climate emergency.

Hosted in collaboration with C40 Cities and anchored by Future Observatory’s Stone Demonstrator at Earls Court, this conference examines our collective responsibility to build resilient urban environments that help our cities and communities thrive.

The day connects distinct global perspectives to move past one-off projects, examining how policy leadership and scalable nature-based solutions can secure an inclusive, safe, and decent future. We open with a fireside chat with the mayors of Miami, Dakar North and Dakar South, who will share vital case studies and reflections from cities dealing directly with the impacts of climate change.

Organised around a series of 'Demonstrators' panels, the sessions will pair UK initiatives with comparable international perspectives. Speakers include Amin Taha, Pierre Bidaud and Cris Ballester Parets on structural stone, Andrew Waugh and Marion Waller on scaling timber and biomaterials, Immy Kaur, Sara Edmonds and Julieta Perucca on community-led retrofit, and Adib Dada alongside Jo Gibbons and Jacek Kisiel on urban rewilding strategies for heat and flood resilience.

Concluding the event, architect Kunlé Adeyemi will deliver a closing keynote drawing on his work on African Water Cities, addressing how cities globally must adapt to a future of extreme heat and water events.

Opening remarks, 10:30 - 11:00

Mayoral fireside chat

Mayor Eileen Higgins, City of Miami

Administrator Md. Shafiqul Islam Khan, Dhaka North

Administrator Md. Abdus Salam, Dhaka South

Facilitated by Cassie Sutherland, C40 Cities

Session 1, 11:00 – 12:00

Stone: an ancient material for the future

Amin Taha, Groupwork

Cris Ballester Parets, Balearic Social Housing Institute (IBAVI)

Pierre Bidaud, The Stonemasonry Company 

Facilitated by Ruth Lang, London School of Architecture

Session 2, 12:00 – 13:00

From prototypes to policy: scaling bio-based housing

Andrew Waugh, Waugh Thistleton Architects

Marion Waller, Centre for Urban Planning and Architecture, Paris

Facilitated by Cassie Sutherland, C40 Cities

Session 3, 14:00 – 15:00

Adaptation: retrofit, maintenance, and community resilience

Imandeep Kaur, Civic Square

Sara Edmonds, National Retrofit Hub

Julieta Perucca, The Shift

Facilitated by Vanessa Norwood

Session 4, 15:00 – 16:00

Urban rewilding: design for heat and flood resilience

Adib Dada, theOtherdada

Jo Gibbons, J&L Gibbons

Jacek Kisiel, Air Protection and Climate Policy, Warsaw

Facilitated by Janice Li, Future Observatory

Keynote, 16:00 – 16:20

African Water Cities: a vision for urban resilience

Kunlé Adeyemi, NLÉ

Please note:

• Tickets include all-day access to the symposium

• Lunch is not provided, but the museum has two spaces where you can enjoy a light lunch, drinks and snacks: the Design Cafe (Ground Level) and the Design Kitchen (Level 2). There are also restaurants and cafes in Kensington High Street

• This event is wheelchair accessible, with step-free access throughout the museum

• If you require BSL interpretation, please book your ticket up to four weeks before the event date and indicate your request in the booking form