URBAN PURPOSE

The future of our cities is what we make it.

What We do

We advocate a holistic ‘purpose case’ approach to all aspects of city-making and masterplanning, integrating economic, social, environmental and cultural values to generate innovative, inclusive and interdisciplinary solutions for the world’s most pressing urban challenges.

Innovating

Shaping

We help shape bold visions to reimagine places and redefine the way built environment projects at various scales are structured and appraised, translating them into real-world outcomes that are measurable.
Integrating system-thinking into the process, aided by the latest digital tools available, we join the dots between people and places, embracing complexity and driving cross-cultural collaboration to deliver resilient, inclusive urban spaces.

Integrating

Measuring

Who we work with

We work with governments, municipalities, international agencies and across the public and private sectors, sparking conversation and stimulating collaboration between those who are waking up to the diverse challenges our urban environments currently face and who recognise the value in thinking and working collectively.

Our Services

As a partner, collaborator and specialist resource, we plug into complex built environment projects, connecting people, ideas and urban experiences.

Our services include:

  • Shaping ambitious and measurable urban visions and strategies
  • Providing independent strategic advisory on all aspects of city-making and masterplanning
  • Applying systems thinking to create value across urban environments
  • Assembling international teams with best practice leaders
  • Helping to build capacity and capability, sharing international best practices for urban transformations
  • Curating and leading strategic and thematic workshops
  • Facilitating stakeholder engagement including co-vision and co-creation
Contact us to find out more

About Urban Purpose

Transformation
Urban Purpose was formed to help the global built environment community deliver much-needed transformational change.
Collaboration
Having delivered city-making tools and techniques across a variety of international contexts, we saw an urgent need for cross-cultural collaboration to help address the critical urban challenges of our time.
Synergy
That’s why we bring people, projects and ideas together – valuing diversity of thought and drawing on global best practice to create solutions that deliver real ambition and impact.
Exchange
Established by architect, masterplanner and urban solutions expert Carlo Castelli, we’re based in London, have a global reach, and work wherever our specialist city-making expertise is required.
Contact us to find out more

About

Carlo Castelli

Years

Experience delivering innovative urban solutions across the global built environment.

Square Meters

Revitalizing Milan’s Strategic Rail Sites: 1 Million Sqm of Urban Evolution

International Projects

Leads global urban projects, advising on strategic development, including Edinburgh, Melbourne, and Milan.

Urban Purpose is headed by Carlo Castelli – an architect and masterplanner with 25 years’ experience delivering innovative urban solutions across the global built environment.

Carlo leads and advises teams on major international and inter-disciplinary urban projects at various scales, with particular expertise in spatial strategies and socio-economic and transport-related development.

He advocates a ‘purpose case’ approach to city-making which aims to enhance quality of life and well-being through the holistic integration of economic, social, environmental and cultural values.

He is actively engaged in the urban debate – moderating, participating and curating panels as well as speaking regularly at international conferences.

Carlo also co-chairs the Urban Land Institute’s Urban Regeneration Council for Europe and sits on the LSE Global Real Estate Group’s Executive Committee, as well as the World Smart Cities Forum (WSCF) advisory board.

Carlo has provided strategic advice and leadership to some of the world’s most important urban projects, including:

  • the Edinburgh City Centre Transformation Plan (with Jacobs)
  • the Suburban Rail Loop in Melbourne (with Jacobs)
  • a Meridian Water regeneration project in London (with Jacobs)
  • a UNDP capacity-building programme for the city of Riyadh
  • the New London Agenda with the NLA
  • the redevelopment agreement process of 1 million sqm of strategic rail sites in Milan (with AECOM)

Get in touch

We provide the strategies and create the cross-cultural collaborations that propel urban environments towards resilient, inclusive futures.

The future of our cities is what we make it.