Blog
Read the selected insights, thoughts and experiences of our staff and partners.
Empathy tools for urban leaders and designers
For Urban95, everything starts with empathy and data. One of the first challenges is that urban planners and designers don’t necessarily see or think about the particular needs of young… Read more
Helping families in Lima to reclaim public spaces
After a recent workshop, the Bernard van Leer Foundation’s Urban95 programme is making progress in sparking the transformation of public spaces across Lima, helping to reclaim them for young children… Read more
Introducing and sustaining learning landscapes in urban environments
Early childhood is a critical stage for healthy brain development. While good public policy and public health have important roles to play in improving outcomes, architect Itai Palti, director of… Read more
How an international expert can inject inspiration: Patricia Kuhl visits Israel
It’s one thing to read about new developments in brain science and what they mean for how we should support parents. It’s something else entirely to hear insights in person… Read more
A good city for all
Spatial mismatch, gender inequality, and sexual harassment are the main barriers to women’s mobility in Brazilian cities. And when women's access to the city is limited, it impacts directly on… Read more
Looking at DTLA through children’s and caregivers’ eyes: an Urban95 opportunity
On its surface, our meeting location of DTLA seemed like an odd choice: a Southern California neighbourhood known more for its office buildings and car culture than its livability. Our… Read more
Covering the Syrian Refugee Crisis – highlights from the Dart journalism training workshop in Amman
UNHCR tells us that more than 5.6 million people have fled Syria since the onset of the civil war in 2011, seeking safety in neighbouring countries and beyond. An estimated… Read more
Reflections on the Urban95 Expert Assembly
Last autumn the Bernard van Leer Foundation gathered a group of experts in the fields of early childhood development, mobility, transportation safety, public space, urban form, recreation, and air quality… Read more
The Effects of Transportation on Early Childhood Development
If you were in Los Angeles one morning last September, you might have noticed small groups of adults making their way downtown on foot while pushing empty strollers or carrying… Read more
The Need to Double Down
Read Michael Feigelson and Elvira Thissen's contribution to 'Finding, Funding, and Scaling' winter supplement of the Stanford Social Innovation Review, writing about The MacArthur Foundation’s 100&Change process and its effect on… Read more