The DNA of Cities
We know that there are over 10,000 cities in the world. We also know that there is something unique about every city. But what is it that makes each city feel, move, look and act so differently? In this podcast, Professor Greg Clark CBE and Caitlin Morrissey bring together over 70 inspirational leaders from the worlds of urban history, politics, art, architecture and more to decode The DNA of Cities.
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Our Listeners - Part I
05/16/2024
Our Listeners - Part I
In this episode, we give the microphone to some of our listeners from around the world who tell us what they have been enjoying from the series so far. How does the idea of the DNA of Cities resonate with the varied work that they do in and with cities around the world? And how might this way of understanding cities be used or applied in practice? We thank Andrew Boraine, Jessica Bowles, Lael Bethlehem, Scott Cain, Carlo Castelli, Jane Cunningham, Gabriella Gómez-Mont and Magali Thompson for being listeners and for joining us in this episode! To learn more about the DNA of Cities and sign up for our latest updates visit www.thednaofcities.com.
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The DNA of Shanghai - Part II
11/30/2023
The DNA of Shanghai - Part II
In our second episode on The DNA of Shanghai we discover more about the social and cultural factors that make Shanghai, Shanghai. We ask how many Shanghai’s are there? What is the city’s role within China and what is its relationship to other Chinese cities? And we find out how Shanghai’s unique history led it to become the birthplace of the Chinese adaptation of communism. With special thanks to Stella Dong, Dr Hou Li and Professor Jenny Lin. To learn more about the DNA of Cities and sign up for our latest updates visit www.thednaofcities.com.
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The DNA of Shanghai - Part I
11/16/2023
The DNA of Shanghai - Part I
When we think about The DNA of Shanghai, we almost have to almost think in quantum ideas. This is, of course, the place where one of the longest rivers in the world and one of the world’s largest oceans meet, producing a city of over 26 million people. Shanghai is the largest city in China and the anchor of the Yangtze River Delta; a region that includes over 20 cities and a population of over 235 million people. In this episode, we take a historical perspective to discover how Shanghai has emerged and why it has become almost an icon of modern China. We hear from Stella Dong, Dr Hou Li and Professor Jenny Lin. To learn more about the DNA of Cities and sign up for our latest updates visit If you would like to share your feedback with us by voice message, you can email an MP3 recording to .
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The DNA of Dubai - Part II
11/02/2023
The DNA of Dubai - Part II
In this second episode on the DNA of Dubai we explore the distinctiveness of Dubai’s urban form and fabric by asking local experts “How many Dubai’s are there?” We spend time exploring the everyday spaces and rhythms of Dubai. What can the more ordinary, mundane, vernacular aspects of life here tell us about a city often characterised by its iconic urban infrastructure and its globally showcased buildings. We hear from Abdulaziz AlJaziri, Her Excellency Hala Badri and Professor Yasser Elseshtawy. To learn more about the DNA of Cities and sign up for our latest updates visit www.thednaofcities.com.
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The DNA of Dubai - Part I
10/19/2023
The DNA of Dubai - Part I
Dubai is a city that has witnessed a profound transformation over the past century, from a sleepy fishing and pearling village to a globally connected metropolis that showcases boundary-pushing urban development. In this episode, we discover The DNA of Dubai by tracing the influence of water, climate, geography and society on the processes of urbanisation that have moulded it into a distinctive and vivid city. We learn about the different groups that make up Emirati society and we meet the people from all corners of the world who contribute to Dubai’s cosmopolitanism and cultural richness. In this episode, we hear from Abdulaziz AlJaziri, Her Excellency Hala Badri and Professor Yasser Elseshtawy. To learn more about the DNA of Cities and sign up for our latest updates visit www.thednaofcities.com.
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The DNA of Tel Aviv - Part II
10/05/2023
The DNA of Tel Aviv - Part II
This coastal location at the meeting point of the Mediterranean sea and the Middle East has experienced rapid change over the past 100 years or so. In our second episode on Tel Aviv, we discover how The DNA of the city manifests itself today. Local experts take us on a journey through Tel Avivian cultures, societies, mythographies, geographies, economies and into the hearts and minds of the leaders who have profoundly shaped the city. In this episode, we hear from Professor Maoz Azaryahu, Professor Rassem Khamaisi, Eytan Schwartz and Sharon Landes-Fischer. To learn more about the DNA of Cities and sign up for our latest updates visit www.thednaofcities.com.
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The DNA of Tel Aviv - Part I
09/21/2023
The DNA of Tel Aviv - Part I
In just over 100 years, Tel Aviv has become home to a stock exchange, major global businesses and the highest concentration of start-ups per capita of any city in the world. We explore how this location actually has two genetic structures; one strand beginning with the old city of Jaffa, the second strand comprising the more recent story of Tel Aviv itself. It is a story of how the Jewish diaspora, inspired by the dream of a Jewish, Hebrew-speaking city, established a neighbourhood on the sand dunes next to Jaffa. It was this new neighbourhood which became the city of Tel Aviv. In this episode, we hear from Professor Maoz Azaryahu, Professor Rassem Khamaisi, Eytan Schwartz and Sharon Landes-Fischer. To learn more about the DNA of Cities and sign up for our latest updates visit
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The DNA of Philadelphia - Part II
08/03/2023
The DNA of Philadelphia - Part II
In the last episode we heard about the arrival of the Quaker settlers and the emergence of Philadelphia between the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers. We heard why the US Constitution was signed in Philadelphia, the role of the city in the Civil War, the rise and fall of industry, and how all of this has shaped the Philadelphia of today. Amongst all of this fascinating history are, of course, human stories of bold individuals and groups of people who have shaped and been shaped by the city. We know for example that Philadelphia’s Quaker society was deliberately premised on an relatively egalitarian, tolerant and liberal philosophy, without deference to Kings and Queens. Understanding more about where that quintessentially Philadelphian mindset has come from, our task in this episode is to understand the unique ways this manifests itself in the modern city. In this episode, we hear from Professor David Brownlee, Sylvie Gallier-Howard, Eleanor Sharpe and Lauren Swartz. To learn more about the DNA of Cities and sign up for our latest updates visit .
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The DNA of Philadelphia - Part I
07/20/2023
The DNA of Philadelphia - Part I
It’s hard to say anything about Philadelphia without talking about the founding of America or the fact that this city is home to the first library, hospital, university, art gallery, stock exchange, and of course, the Philly Cheese Steak, Rocky and Sound of Philadelphia. In this episode we explore the long history behind this Quaker city that emerged between the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers. It is important to take a historic perspective in Philadelphia because its most recent chapter has not been as prosperous as the previous 350 years or so. Philadelphians often ask themselves how they can reconcile the story of Philadelphia as a great social innovator with its present. In this episode, we hear from Professor David Brownlee, Sylvie Gallier-Howard, Eleanor Sharpe and Lauren Swartz. To learn more about the DNA of Cities and sign up for our latest updates visit .
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The DNA of London - Part II
07/06/2023
The DNA of London - Part II
In part II of our visit to London we explore how the city’s enormous size gives it the ability to regenerate in the face of shock. We ask how London's diversity creates and contributes to the city's strength, resilience and innovation. We discover the London of freedom - a city that respects individual privacy, encourages freedom of thought and honours freedom of expression. While London’s social contract may be one of live and let live, we ask how these organising ideas about London continue to materially shape the city. Our guests in this episode are Laura Citron, Professor Vanessa Harding, Rt Hon David Lammy MP and Professor Tony Travers. To learn more about the DNA of Cities and sign up for our latest updates visit .
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The DNA of London - Part I
06/22/2023
The DNA of London - Part I
London sits in the south-east corner of a temperate and fertile island on the easterly flowing, tidal River Thames. In this episode we discover how London’s endowed assets of island location, river, winds and temperate climate have combined with its inherited and acquired traits of global trade, wealth creation, civic freedom, innovation, creativity, diversity and connectivity. All of this has produced a resilient and diverse metropolis of large scale, high productivity, soft power, self-confidence and reinvention. Many cities compete with London in lots of areas, but very few cities compete with London in everything. We ask why is that? Why London? Our guests in this episode are Laura Citron, Professor Vanessa Harding, Rt Hon David Lammy MP and Professor Tony Travers. To learn more about the DNA of Cities and sign up for our latest updates visit .
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The DNA of Glasgow - Part II
06/08/2023
The DNA of Glasgow - Part II
This is the second part of our exploration of the DNA of Glasgow. If part one was an economic history of Glasgow, this episode is focused on Glasgow’s social, cultural and civic history. We hear about what it means to be a Glaswegian, the attitudes and sensibilities that are valued and shared right across the city, and we discover Glasgow’s greatest inventions (from TV to tikka). We hear from Councillor Susan Aitken, Professor Rebecca Madgin, Professor Sir Jim McDonald, Michael Meighan, Dr Susie Mitchell and Stuart Patrick CBE. To learn more about the DNA of Cities and sign up for our latest updates visit . Long Road Ahead B by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. Source: Artist:
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The DNA of Glasgow - Part I
05/25/2023
The DNA of Glasgow - Part I
Glasgow is an ambitious, entrepreneurial and people-centred city that’s been built on centuries of hard work, migration and humour. The city tells a compelling and sometimes turbulent story of invention and re-invention: first as a Mediaeval religious and knowledge centre; then as a dominant tobacco and sugar entrepôt; then as the world’s leading shipbuilding and locomotive engineering hub. Most recently, as a post-industrial city, Glasgow has galvanised its entrepreneurial spirit and determination to re-assert itself on the world stage as an innovation economy. In our first episode exploring the DNA of Glasgow, we ask local experts what DNA has Glasgow acquired along the way? We hear from the Leader of Glasgow City Council, Cllr Susan Aitken, Professor Rebecca Madgin, Professor Sir Jim McDonald, Michael Meighan, Dr Susie Mitchell and Stuart Patrick CBE. To learn more about the DNA of Cities and sign up for our latest updates visit . Long Road Ahead B by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. Source: Artist:
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The DNA of Vienna - Part II
05/11/2023
The DNA of Vienna - Part II
In our second episode on Vienna we explore the acquired traits in the city’s DNA. We’ll hear the stories of Viennese citizens, and explore enduring cultural highlights that have taken on new forms as the city has evolved. And we ask how and why Vienna’s social democratic model of governance has proved so resilient and effective. We continue our conversation with Eugen (Zenja) Antalovsky, Shams Asadi, Prof Matti Bunzl and Maria Vassilakou on gloriousness and tradition, religion and empire, creativity and intellectual world leadership, war and wounding, social democracy and human rights. If you’re interested in finding out more about Vienna’s history, we recommend Carl Emil Schorske’s book Fin de Siècle Vienna and Simon Sebag Montifiore’s BBC documentary “Vienna: Empire, Dynasty and Dream”. To learn more about the DNA of Cities and sign up for our latest updates visit .
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The DNA of Vienna - Part I
04/27/2023
The DNA of Vienna - Part I
Vienna has been one of the Western Roman Empire’s most easterly strategic strongholds, an imperial capital of the Habsburg Empire, and a melting pot for thinkers and creators from across Europe and the rest of the world. But Vienna was also altered, almost beyond recognition, by the First and Second World Wars. Today, the city’s pendulum is swinging back towards some elements of the Vienna of old: the city is becoming increasingly multicultural, international in outlook and recognised for its unrivalled liveability. In this episode, we hear from Eugen (Zenja) Antalovsky, Shams Asadi, Prof Matti Bunzl and Maria Vassilakou. We discover that the return of these characteristics, which were so prominent in Vienna’s past, suggest that the city is re-aligning with key components of its DNA. If you’re interested in finding out more about Vienna’s history, we recommend Carl Emil Schorske’s book "Fin de Siècle Vienna" and Simon Sebag Montifiore’s BBC documentary “Vienna: Empire, Dynasty and Dream”. To learn more about the DNA of Cities and sign up for our latest updates visit .
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The DNA of Barcelona - Part II
04/13/2023
The DNA of Barcelona - Part II
In this second episode on Barcelona we hear why the city is the place for life’s great ventures. Over the course of history, artists from all over the world have created some of their most influential work in Barcelona. Take Picasso, Miro and Dali for example; they came to Barcelona during the formative years of their careers and in this city they were able to do something extraordinary. But how, and why Barcelona? Well, as we discover, this is more than a city. Creation and creativity run so deeply through its DNA that some even consider the greatest invention of Barcelona to be Barcelona itself. Special thanks to Consol Vancells Casanovas, Aleix Gabarre, Mateu Hernandez Maluquer, Michelle Barrios and Miquel Molina Muntané. To learn more about the DNA of Cities and sign up for our latest updates visit .
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The DNA of Barcelona - Part I
03/30/2023
The DNA of Barcelona - Part I
We begin our time in Barcelona by exploring its self-determining “do it yourself” approach to governance, the muse effect the city has in an individual’s life, and its relationships to its region and beyond; all understood, of course, through its identity as a Catalan city in the northern-most point of Southern Europe and the southern-most point of Northern Europe. Part of what makes modern Barcelona such an interesting city from a 'DNA' perspective is the fact that city branding and place marketing have played such a strong part in its post-industrial recovery. The experts we meet have been working for many years to uncover what makes the city unique. Join us as we ask Mateu Hernández, Consol Vancells-Casanovas, Aleix Gabarre, Miquel Molina and Michelle Barrios what makes Barcelona, Barcelona. To learn more about the DNA of Cities and sign up for our latest updates visit .
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The DNA of New York - Part II
03/16/2023
The DNA of New York - Part II
New York City captures the imagination like few other cities. In this second episode we explore the stories of urban life in the city’s neighbourhoods and the New York City dream that draws people from all over the world to make themselves in the city. We hear how New York has a history of openness because it was the primary gateway to the USA; the largest and fastest-growing economy in the 20th Century. We discuss the famous myths that capture something about the DNA of New York, the expectations that people hold about the city, and whether the portrayal of New York through film, TV, literature and music has led to misconceptions of the city. We end our time in New York with the brilliant Dr Sarah Henry, Professor Ester Fuchs and Tom Wright, and with a hopeful gaze towards the future of the city. To learn more about the DNA of Cities and sign up for our latest updates visit .
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The DNA of New York - Part I
03/02/2023
The DNA of New York - Part I
In the first part of our visit to New York, we reveal how the combination of money, diversity, creativity and density are the traits that make New York, New York. We explore the long history of the city and we discover that the entrepreneurial zeal that one so often associates with the city has very deep roots. We hear how the original raison d'etre for the settlement that became New York was in fact profit-making. But the geography and topography of New York that facilitated this was also the home of indigenous Lenape populations, whose long-established network of trade routes and cultural exchange were diminished as the settlement grew into a city. Dr Sarah Henry and Tom Wright guide us through many of the decisive moments in the history of New York from before it was settled up to the 21st Century. It’s a conversation that covers migration, enterprise, exploitation, social tension, revolt, reform, crisis and hope. For the Eric Sanderson talk that’s mentioned in this episode, follow this link: To learn more about the DNA of Cities and sign up for our latest updates visit .
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The DNA of Singapore - Part II
02/16/2023
The DNA of Singapore - Part II
In the second part of our exploration of Singapore we hear more about the individuals that have moulded and shaped Singapore over the last fifty to sixty years. We discover the distinctly Singaporean approach to governance that has emerged. Compared to some of the other cities we explore in this series, there is a very prominent set of ‘acquired’ traits that came with Singaporean leadership and the people who have chosen to make this place their home. We hear from Professor Cheong Koon Hean, Dr Liu Thai Ker, Professor Khoo Teng Chye and Professor Kishore Mahbubani. We are extremely grateful to this group of experts who have been enormously influential in shaping Singapore in many ways over their careers. To learn more about the DNA of Cities and sign up for our latest updates visit .
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The DNA of Singapore - Part I
02/02/2023
The DNA of Singapore - Part I
The second city on our voyage of discovery is Singapore: the little red dot in South East Asia that tells one of the world's most unusual and successful stories of modern nation building. Singapore’s independence in 1965 unleashed five decades of innovation that have resulted in an unforeseeable transformation. In this episode, we learn about the program of rapid problem-solving that was pursued by Singapore's visionary founding decision-makers and the vulnerabilities they were forced to mitigate. We hear from Professor Cheong Koon Hean, Dr Liu Thai Ker, Professor Khoo Teng Chye and Professor Kishore Mahbubani. We are extremely grateful to this group of experts who have been enormously influential in shaping Singapore in many ways over their careers. To learn more about the DNA of Cities and sign up for our latest updates visit
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The DNA of Istanbul - Part II
01/19/2023
The DNA of Istanbul - Part II
In this episode we explore the identity of Istanbul through the myths and stories that people tell about the city. We also learn about the impact of the collapse of the Ottoman Empire on Istanbul’s sense of itself as a cosmopolitan global city. We reveal the characteristics the city has acquired as a temporary or permanent home to many different populations and cultures, and we hear from Ali Akay, Berkan Özyer, Associate Professor Eda Yücesoy, Associate Professor Ozdemir Sonmez, Avi Alkaş and Murat Belge. To learn more about the DNA of Cities and sign up for our latest updates visit
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The DNA of Istanbul - Part I
01/05/2023
The DNA of Istanbul - Part I
We now embark on a global voyage of discovery to decode the DNA of 12 cities, taking everything we have learnt in Episodes 1, 2 and 3 with us as we go. We begin in Istanbul. This is the city of three names. It’s the holy city of world religions. It’s the meeting point of two continents. It’s a city that has been the focal point of vast imperial networks, and it is a former capital that has, rather remarkably, outlived the collapse of more than one empire. In this episode we reveal the traits that Istanbul has accumulated from its emergence at the touchpoint between Asia and Europe and from its long and fascinating imperial history. We meet Murat Belge, Berkan Özyer, Associate Professor Eda Yücesoy, Avi Alkaş and Associate Professor Ozdemir Sonmez. To learn more about the DNA of Cities and sign up for our latest updates visit
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How do cities acquire traits?
12/22/2022
How do cities acquire traits?
In this episode, we find out where cities get their traits from by exploring the forces and events that cause them to accumulate their unique DNA. We hear from Abha Joshi-Ghani, Professor Edgar Pieterse, Professor Michele Acuto, Professor Ricky Burdett, Dr Karissa Sanbonmatsu, Shi Nan, Alice Charles and Alfonso Vergara. This conversation is packed with stories about how real cities are endowed with, inherit and acquire their traits. We also confront the question of DNA in new cities and the risk of attempts to ‘copy’ or ‘clone’ successful traits from one city to an entirely new urban context. To learn more about the DNA of Cities and sign up for our latest updates visit
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Decoding urban identity
12/08/2022
Decoding urban identity
In Episode 1, we learnt that thinking about cities as having DNA can help us all to participate in really important conversations about what makes each city so unique. This time, our fantastic panel of urban experts tell us what ingredients they would look for in the genetic code of a city. We are also introduced to the idea that all places share certain qualities as they go through the process of urbanisation. We wish to thank Dr Jaana Remes, Professor Pete Tyler, Geerte Udo, Associate Professor Ellie Cosgrave and Professor Michele Acuto for helping us to decode The DNA of Cities. If you're interested in what you’ve heard and you’d like to find out more, you can read our full interviews and contribute your views at .
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Do cities have DNA?
11/23/2022
Do cities have DNA?
We begin this series with a simple question “Do cities have DNA?” We ask an expert panel of urban planners, economists and architects what The DNA of Cities means from their personal and disciplinary viewpoints. We also hear from an epigeneticist who helps us understand more about the science behind our endeavour to decode urban identity. We wish to thank Prof Edgar Pieterse, Prof Mike Batty, Dr Jaana Remes, Dr Karissa Sanbomatsu, Abha Joshi Ghani and Prof Ricky Burdett for sharing their insights with us in this episode. This episode is dedicated with love and affection to the memory of Abha Joshi Ghani.
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Trailer - Welcome to the DNA of Cities
10/23/2022
Trailer - Welcome to the DNA of Cities
Welcome to The DNA of Cities. Subscribe and join us fortnightly from Thursday 24th November 2022 as we try to decode what makes our cities so unique.
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