We do not “come into” this world; we come out of it, as leaves from a tree. We are apertures through which the universe is looking at and exploring itself.” ~ Alan Watts

Last year, we looked into how the paradigm of conscious cities is wired to shape and be shaped by people. This year, we propose that the conscious cities network and chapters collectively explore the Person-Space Continuum. 

The Person-Space Continuum captures not just the intersubjectivity and diversity of city making endeavours, but also makes an attempt to observe, measure, and represent it. In the paradigm of Conscious Design, the person-space continuum comprises three key dimensions or principles – enactivism, equity, and empathy.  Let’s collectively investigate… 

What if our minds could dwell not just in our brains, but refract through our bodies, into objects, and in the space all around us?  Enactivism.

What if our potential as people could be aligned and respectfully represented within the diverse spectrum of our communities?  Equity.

What if  we could imagine, see, and reflect each others’ aspirations and rise as a collective in harmony? Empathy.

We believe in disseminating principles as solution frameworks rather than in giving one-size-fits-all solutions. Since Conscious Design is a continually metamorphosing process, the principles approach better facilitates and encourages cross-chapter problem-solving, co-creation, collaboration, and communication.

Mission Statement

Conscious Cities Festival (CCF) is a week-long event series celebrating cross-disciplinary research, spatial design, and urban practices that shape healthy and resilient cities of the future worldwide. 

In 2020, CCF involved 19 cities, 40 events featuring over 200 speakers and over 2000 participants that collectively examined how cities, people, and communities shape each other. During the festival, an international and multidisciplinary network of city making practitioners, thinkers, activists, and enthusiasts gather to look at global and hyperlocal facets of challenges to thriving in cities. This year, we are starting early and 30 cities strong awaiting a wider participation! 

In this way, we intend to empower and activate broad ecosystems of communities, decision makers, designers, researchers, technologists, funders, and artists to collectively, actively, and effectively address the future needs and aspirations of space participants. We hope this festival will bring clarity and cohesion amongst the chapters in building momentum for the CCD’s ‘collective aspirations’.