Urban Future 2027 will be held in Istanbul: The future of cities will be discussed around three main themes.

Urban Future , one of Europe's most important city-focused events, will be held in Istanbul from April 13-16, 2027. Bringing together mayors, urban planners, designers, architects, entrepreneurs, and urban professionals from around the world each year, the event is preparing to transform Istanbul into an international meeting point for creating more livable cities.

With its Istanbul edition, Urban Future is entering a new era in its organizational structure. For the first time, in addition to a city administration, two civil society organizations, Humane Urbanism and Türkiye Design Council will be involved in the process as the host partners of the event. This new model is based on the idea that the future of cities is shaped not only by local governments but also through the collaborative efforts of designers, NGOs, academics, entrepreneurs, and local communities.

Three Themes That Will Shape the Future of Cities

The initial framework of the Urban Future 2027 program is structured around three main themes.

Ready Cities

Focusing on the risks facing cities, such as earthquakes, floods, extreme heat, pandemics, housing crises, and infrastructure problems, this theme will discuss how cities can prepare for crises and become more resilient in the aftermath of disasters. Many topics, from public spaces and mobility to housing and leadership, will be addressed through solutions developed in collaboration with local communities.

People-Powered Cities

This theme, which centers on the role of citizens, local initiatives, and communities in the transformation of cities, will bring together examples of urban innovation stemming from a culture of participation, trust, collaborative production, and everyday life.

Urban Branding

Urban Future, which does not see city branding as merely a matter of logos and slogans, will discuss under this heading how cities create their identities, how they make their cultural values visible, and how they manage the processes of attracting investment, talent, and visitors.

A Program That Extends Beyond Conference Halls

One of Urban Future's strongest points is that it doesn't view the event as merely a conference consisting of talks. In the Istanbul edition, the program will extend to neighborhoods, public spaces, and projects in different parts of the city. This will give participants the opportunity to explore Istanbul not just by listening, but by experiencing it firsthand.

The organization expects to bring together over 2,000 participants from around the world , 250 speakers , 150 mayors and city administrators , and more than 100 partners in Istanbul in 2027.

Now is the time to contribute.

The Urban Future team is already issuing a call for proposals to help shape the UF27 program. Inspiring public space projects, design initiatives, neighborhood stories, mobility solutions, resilience models, and ideas that improve urban life will be considered under the organization's open call.

Urban Future 2027, which will be hosted by Istanbul, is more than just an event discussing the global urban agenda; it also offers a significant opportunity to make design, urbanization, and public space production in Türkiye visible on an international scale.

Well Urban Things , as one of the official media partners of Urban Future 2027, will be closely following the event process. In the coming months, we will continue to share updates on speakers, public space projects, field trips, and the event program in Istanbul. We might also have some surprise projects! Stay tuned!

Do you have a project, speaker, or initiative that you would recommend for inclusion at UF27?

Applications and detailed information can be found on the “Getting Involved in UF27” page.