So honored to have been invited to speak on a panel about 2100: A Dystopian Utopia — The City After Climate Change at Matadero Art Center in Madrid! This event was the coming together of many like minded artists, architects and urban environmentalists searching for a vision of a better world. Twelve Cautionary Urban Tales, an exhibition about the city and its myriad potential futures, finds inspiration in SuperStudio’s Twelve Cautionary Tales for Christmas–twelve short stories each accompanied by an image, portraying a vision of an ideal city.

As part of a parallel program accompanying the exhibition, A Children’s Story, A Horror Story, a Synesthetic Story was a day long event at Matadero structured in three main parts, a group of international participants—architects, artists and theorists— from diverse context experiences, were asked to tell three stories. From the climate crisis to property speculation, the present seems to lead us toward a future that leaves no room for a dignified life: the future is a horror story, especially that of the city. In response to stories about future terror that can seem paralyzing, we aim to invoke speculation as a hopeful practice, an exercise in resistance that calls upon the need to identify future alternatives to resist what the future is said to hold.

Insightful, creative and meaningful discussions about the city, climate change, and what we project of ourselves into the future. Thanks to all the wonderful people at Intermediae and Matadero Madrid for the invitation, and to TerreformUR and Michael Sorkin for their unflagging enthusiasm and support. I’m leaving here inspired and energized!