Building The Future

Concordia University researchers are leaders in helping the world’s urban communities become more sustainable — and more resilient

- Daniela Payne

It takes more than good engineering to make a city thrive. You have to consider the people who make their homes there, too. “You can create the smartest building or city in the world, but if the community is not part of the development, then you may lose a lot of the benefits of these technologies because of poor use,” says Carmela Cucuzzella, professor of Design and Computation Arts at Concordia University in Montreal.

She and her Concordia colleagues are taking the lead in research into such next generation cities, part of the university’s commitment to becoming a future-ready institution that pursues technology without losing sight of humanity. Talented and passionate faculty and students from across multiple disciplines are working together on integrating social and natural sciences, engineering, design, and culture across the built environment. Their collaborations are helping give rise to smarter, more sustainable, and more resilient communities and cities.