10 Design Cities You Should Know 2019
From Jakarta to Tulsa, these locales each offer a standout example of architecture, urbanism, or design.
Top Cities
Design Cities 2019: Tirana, Albania
The 430,000-square-foot Skanderbeg Square should intimidate but doesn’t. That has a lot to do with the plaza’s intricate design.
Design Cities 2019: Buenos Aires, Argentina
A local collective wants to tap into the megacity’s underutilized and overlooked spaces.
Design Cities 2019: Dakar, Senegal
The Dakar Next initiative hopes to change how design and artisanship are valued in Senegal.
Design Cities 2019: Jakarta, Indonesia
A designer takes a novel approach to traditional materials, making a statement about the potential for a regional design identity.
Design Cities 2019: Lima, Peru
In one of Latin America’s largest cities, an architectural duo marries traditional building techniques with a contemporary expression.
Design Cities 2019: Memphis, Tennessee
A park in the city’s long-neglected downtown illustrates that small, community-led changes are afoot.
Design Cities 2019: Valencia, Spain
A Valencia studio’s products draw upon the region’s cross-disciplinary creative networks.
Design Cities 2019: Fukuoka, Japan
After a three-year renovation, the Fukuoka Art Museum reflects the coastal city’s international links, both past and present.
Design Cities 2019: Tulsa, Oklahoma
An expansive new landscape by Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates is energizing public life in the Oklahoma oil town.
Design Cities 2019: Algiers, Algeria
Amid political turmoil both past and present, the Algerian capital is ready for a new start.
Metropolis Magazine’s 10 "Inspirational" Design Cities of 2018
From Rome to Kyoto, these cities have rich urban fabrics, self-assured cultural scenes, and a laid-back atmosphere.
This Design Lab in Kyoto Is Analyzing Food to Understand How Cities Change
“By looking at food, we can uncover the inner workings of the city which are otherwise difficult to see,” says Takuya Miyake of the Kyoto Institute of Technology.
2017 Was the Year Cities Became Start-Ups
This year, companies and individual designers began harnessing the power of imagination to solve some of the most practical and complex city problems.
Architecture as a Social Tool: Fostering Social Sustainability in Philly
A Q&A with HOK on how architects can explore strategies of engagement between designers and local communities.
Plus Pool Asks New Yorkers to Show Their Support
The designers behind Plus Pool are looking to win people over. This new short film may just help.
The World's Best Design Cities 2017
Metropolis editors choose 15 cities around the globe that set the bar highest for progressive design and good living.
Revitalized Musée d’arts de Nantes Aims not for Spectacle but for Coherence
The newly reopened museum, one of France’s great art institutions, unites four centuries of architectural history.
Designing for the Moment Refugees Become Neighbors
Seattle architect Rania Qawasma has created an award-winning guide for refugees navigating day-to-day life in American cities.
In Toronto's Dire Suburbs, This "Joyful" Public Library Makes a Difference
The new Perkins + Will-designed Albion District Library humbly responds to its challenging suburban context, putting accessibility and community-building first.
