Remote work, AI-driven infrastructure and climate adaptation are quietly rewriting what “city life” means. From 15-minute neighborhoods to driverless public transit, this is how the next decade of urban living could really feel on the ground.
Cities talk about walkability, but only a handful have pushed traffic out of their cores. Residents in one European capital explain how life changed once streets went quiet.
Hybrid work is no longer a perk — it’s a negotiation. Inside the companies experimenting with a single, high-intensity in-office day designed around collaboration instead of control.
From late-night baristas to 24-hour libraries, more cities are acknowledging that not everyone lives on a 9-to-5. Here’s who benefits — and who is still left out.
Quiet engines, new routes and different maintenance rhythms are transforming how transit agencies think about service, staffing and equity in movement.
Instead of endless desks and meeting rooms, some teams are re-building offices around “project studios” that stay intact for months at a time.
They’re smaller than a basketball court, but pocket parks can drop perceived temperature by several degrees. Here’s why they work — and what keeps cities from building more.
Get unlimited access to every story, audio editions for the commute, and monthly Q&As with our reporters. One subscription for all of our independent desks — technology, cities, climate and culture.