Lewis Mumford Lecture: “From Crisis to Proximity: A New Social Contract for Cities,” Featuring Carlos Moreno

Please join us on Tuesday, September 22nd, 2026, at 6 pm for our prestigious Lewis Mumford Lecture. This year, we are honored to welcome renowned multidisciplinary researcher and urban thinker Carlos Moreno, who will present his lecture, "From Crisis to Proximity: A New Social Contract for Cities." This lecture is free, open to the public, and will be held in the Great Hall of Shepard Hall. Live captioning and ASL interpretation will be available upon request. For access requests or questions, please contact ssadean@ccny.cuny.edu. Carlos Moreno, a French-Colombian scholar based in Paris since age 20, is Professor at IAE Paris–Sorbonne and 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 and Communities, and Sigma Xi. Widely awarded and influential, his writings appear in 14 languages, and he is regarded as one of the world’s leading contemporary urban thinkers. "From Crisis to Proximity: A New Social Contract for Cities": Today’s urban crises — climate disruption, rising inequalities, mobility pressure, housing shortages, and social fragmentation — lie at the heart of deteriorating well-being and quality of life. In a predominantly urban world, it is essential to pursue deep reflection and 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 and establish a new social contract for cities, grounded in proximity as a civic, ecological, and economic principle. By rethinking how we organise time, space, and everyday access, proximity provides a powerful framework for transforming urban life. Concepts such as the “x-minute city” and “high-quality social life” demonstrate how human-scale ecosystems can reduce carbon emissions, ease daily stress, strengthen communities, and 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, and resilient. As a new urban era emerges, proximity becomes the cornerstone of a renewed pact between citizens, institutions, and territories, enabling people not only to live in cities but to flourish in them. Suggested Reading: Moreno, Carlos. "The 15-Minute City: A Solution to Saving Our Time and Our Planet." Wiley, 2024. Image Credits: Thomas Baltès (portrait);WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities (all others) Statement of Conduct: The City College of New York, founded on a vision of access to excellence, educates thousands of students each year and encourages civic and robust debate, respectful dissent, and thoughtful inquiry. Consistent with this commitment, City College supports academic freedom and convenes conversations representing multiple perspectives throughout the year. The views expressed at events are those of the individual speaker(s) and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the college. All participants are expected to treat others with respect and consideration, uphold personal and professional integrity, and comply with all applicable College policies and venue rules. About the Lewis Mumford Lecture: Each spring, the Spitzer School of Architecture and its Urban Design Program present the Lewis Mumford Lecture and seminar. Named for writer, architecture critic, and urbanist Lewis Mumford, who attended City College, the series invites the world’s most distinguished urbanists to speak freely and publicly about the future of cities and the social purposes of architecture. This series was initiated by the late Michael Sorkin, distinguished professor of architecture and director of the Urban Design Program at the Spitzer School, and curated by him for eleven years. Previous Lewis Mumford Lecturers: 2004 Jane Jacobs 2005 Mike Davis 2006 Enrique Peñalosa 2007 Amartya Sen 2008 David Harvey 2009 Paul Auster 2011 Richard Sennett 2012 Janette Sadik-Khan 2013 Marshall Berman 2014 Theaster Gates 2015 Rebecca Solnit 2022 Yasmeen Lari 2023 Emily Badger 2024 David Gissen 2025 Aimi Hamraie