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Please join us for the 2026 Mumford Lecture: From Crisis to Proximity: A New Social Contract for Cities, presented by Carlos Moreno.
Today's urban crises - climate disruption, rising inequalities, mobility pressure, housing shortages, & social fragmentation - lie at the heart of deteriorating well-being & quality of life. In a predominantly urban world, it is essential to pursue deep reflection & decisive action to transform this malaise through new urban approaches. Throughout history, proximity - the capacity for people to remain connected - has been a key lever for rebuilding social cohesion.
This lecture argues that we must go further & establish a new social contract for cities, grounded in proximity as a civic, ecological, & economic principle. By rethinking how we organize time, space, & everyday access, proximity provides a powerful framework for transforming urban life. Concepts such as the x-minute city & high-quality social life demonstrate how human-scale ecosystems can reduce carbon emissions, ease daily stress, strengthen communities, & create new forms of economic value.
In this vision, proximity is neither a trend nor a lifestyle choice, but a structural response to the crises shaping urban futures - one that can make cities more humane, inclusive, & resilient. As a new urban era emerges, proximity becomes the cornerstone of a renewed pact between citizens, institutions, & territories, enabling people not only to live in cities but to flourish in them.
Carlos Moreno, a French-Colombian scholar based in Paris since age 20, is Professor at IAE Paris-Sorbonne & Scientific Director of the ETI Chair. A multidisciplinary researcher, he is internationally recognized for innovative ideas to improve urban life. Creator of the 15-Minute City, he received the 2022 UN-Habitat Scroll of Honour. He is a member of the French Academy of Technologies, the International Academy of Architecture, the American Academy of Housing & Communities, & Sigma Xi. Widely awarded & influential, his writings appear in 14 languages, & he is regarded as one of the world's leading contemporary urban thinkers.
Lewis Mumford Lecture Series
Each spring, the Spitzer School of Architecture & its Urban Design Program present the Lewis Mumford Lecture & seminar. Named for writer, architecture critic, & urbanist Lewis Mumford, who attended City College, the series invites the world's most distinguished urbanists to speak freely & publicly about the future of cities & the social purposes of architecture. This series was initiated by the late Michael Sorkin, distinguished professor of architecture & director of the Urban Design Program at the Spitzer School, & curated by him for eleven years.
Accessibility
For live captioning, ASL interpretation, or access requests, please contact ssadean@ccny.cuny.edu.
Statement of Conduct
The City College of New York, founded on a vision of access to excellence, educates thousands of students each year & encourages civic & robust debate, respectful dissent, & thoughtful inquiry.
Consistent with this commitment, City College supports academic freedom & convenes conversations representing multiple perspectives throughout the year. The views expressed at events are those of the individual speaker(s) & do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the college.
All participants are expected to treat others with respect & consideration, uphold personal & professional integrity, & comply with all applicable College policies & venue rules.
Image Credits
Thomas Baltes (portrait); WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities (all others)
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