Shadow City(s) examined patterns of peri-urban growth in the Global South, including Bhopal,  that define some of the most prolific urban typologies of the 21st Century on March 29, 2012 at the Center for Architecture, New York.

The American Institute of Architects’ New York Global Dialogues Committee will host an event titled SHADOW CITY(S) to examine patterns of peri-urban growth in the Global South that define some of the most prolific urban typologies of the 21st Century; developments in municipalities or adjunct cities on the periphery of traditional/historical centers that share an urban dichotomy between informal settlement vs. formalized development including gated communities, corporate/industrial campuses and significant infrastructural projects. Planning issues in Nairobi, Rio, Mumbai and Bhopal will look at expanding boundaries and populations that often outpace adequate regional plans relative to infrastructure, land use and social, economic and ecological sustainability. What defines these territories and what opportunities do they offer for thinking beyond conventional planning methodologies? How can the role of architecture be reframed to better meet the challenges within these shadow territories that define the future city?

Introduction: William Menking, Architect’s Newspaper
Speakers: Elliot Sclar, Clara Irazabal/Jeff Yuen, Geeta Mehta, Anna Rubbo.