Adapt Together: Urban Neighborhoods Against Climate Change

As climate change continues to accelerate, its effects are increasingly felt across both urban and rural landscapes, making it essential to adapt our living conditions to this new reality. Recognizing the diverse impacts on cities and neighborhoods, it is crucial to prioritize vulnerable communities and to build resilience. As part of Climate Week NYC, this event will explore how architecture and urban development can contribute to essential climate adaptations while strengthening our social fabric and promoting equity.

We will examine what lessons can be learned from practitioners worldwide who face similar climatic and social challenges but work within different societal contexts and apply diverse solutions. How can climate-adaptive architecture make a meaningful impact at the community level? What dilemmas must we navigate to enhance urban resilience effectively?

This discussion will bring together both strategic and practical perspectives to address the urgent question: How can architecture be leveraged to adapt neighborhoods to the changing climate while fostering social equity and ensuring that no one is left behind? Join us to hear from leading architects and planners from around the globe as they tackle the architectural, organizational, and ethical challenges inherent in addressing climate change and social equity in urban neighborhoods.

This event is organized by AIANY | Center for Architecture in collaboration with the BLOX community that consists of Danish Architecture Center, Creative Denmark, the Danish Design Center and BLOXHUB. BLOX engages people in urban life, architecture, design, and sustainability. The aim is to create a sustainable future based on creative solutions that seeks to improve the overall wellbeing for people and planet. Making sustainable change so irresistible that it is the only option. 

This event is kindly supported by the Philanthropic Association Realdania.  

Speakers:
Rasmus Astrup, Design Principal and Partner, SLA
Pascale Sablan, CEO, Adjaye Associates Architects; Global President, NOMA
Zach Baumer, Chief Sustainability Officer, The City of Austin
Arnita Verza, Landscape Architect, Ŗiga City Architect's Service
Ya-Ting Liu, Chief Public Realm Officer, City of New York

Moderator:
Yasemin Kologlu, Co-chair, AIANY Committee on the Environment

Event Program
8.30 – 9.00am

• Arrival and coffee

9.00 – 11.00am
Discussion topic: Why do we need to strengthen social equity in the built environment?​

• Majken Kalhave, Executive Director, Creative Denmark
• Panelist TBA

Discussion topic: Architecture that strengthens social equity and adapts to climate changes 

• Rasmus Astrup, Design Principal and Partner, SLA
• Pascale Sablan, CEO, Adjaye Associates

Discussion topic: How to push for social equity through strategic planning 

• Zach Baumer, Chief Sustainability Officer, the City of Austin​
• Arnita Verza, Landscape Architect, Riga City Municipality​
• Ya-Ting Liu, Chief Public Realm Officer, City of New York

11.00am – 12.00pm

• Network

About the Speakers:
Rasmus Astrup is Design Principal and Senior Partner at the renowned Danish nature-based design studio SLA, where he spearheads the studio’s largest and most complex international projects. Widely recognized as a leading voice in landscape architecture, urban design, and climate adaptation in a global context, Astrup is known as a principal specialist in ‘City Nature’ (the design and application of man-made nature to solve man-made urban problems) and is currently leading some of the world’s most forward-looking landscape projects on four continents.

Zach Baumer is the Chief Sustainability Officer for the City of Austin where he leads city-wide efforts to build a more sustainable and resilient City. He has worked for the City of Austin since 2011, where for over 12 years he was the Climate Program Manager, overseeing implementation of climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies across the city organization and community. Prior to the City of Austin, Baumer spent 10 years working in the environmental consulting industry. Baumer holds an MBA in Sustainable Management from the Presidio Graduate School and undergraduate degrees in Chemistry and Chemical Engineering from Purdue University.

Pascale Sablan is a visionary architect with an impressive track record of transforming the built environment. Sablan has been recognized as one of the most influential architects of her generation, with a practice characterized by a commitment to excellence, innovation, and sustainability. She currently serves as the NOMA Global President and Chief Executive Officer at Adjaye Associates, New York Studio, in charge of all operations, whilst continuing to lead efforts for architectural projects, community engagement, and business development.

Arnita Verza is a landscape architect at Ŗiga City Architect's Service and brings experience from both the private and public sectors. Verza works extensively on developing comprehensive public space strategies and guidelines, different scale public space projects as well as tactical urbanism within the city. She is a strong advocate for thoughtful resident involvement in public space development and introducing innovative methods for cities to collaborate with their citizens.

Ya-Ting Liu is the NYC Chief Public Realm Officer, and she coordinates across city government, community organizations, and the private sector to create extraordinary public spaces across the entire city and continue to drive the city’s economic recovery.