Can a city truly be inclusive if half its population feels unsafe navigating it? As London reimagines its future through an update to the London Plan, it’s time to ask: is urban design failing women – and what would a truly gender-responsive city look like?

Can we really call our cities inclusive when neurodiverse individuals struggle to find comfort and safety in public spaces? Shouldn’t we be promoting design for neurodiversity in our urban spaces?

Urbanisation over the last 150 years has increased at a rapid rate. This has significantly depleted biodiversity levels as human behaviours have made it difficult for nature to establish itself in urban environments.

The variety of living things on earth, or biodiversity as it is commonly known, is in decline faster now than at any other point in human history. Despite being vital to our survival, the natural resources that make up nature’s life-support systems are hurtling worryingly fast towards the point of no return.