Renowned British architect Norman Foster has made a compelling case for walkable, high-density cities at the World Design Congress, arguing that compact urban environments benefit everyone - even those who aren't concerned about environmental issues. Speaking at the Design Council-run event held at London's Barbican Centre, the Foster + Partners founder emphasized that urbanization trends will require the equivalent of 11 new cities the size of London to be built every year for the next 25 years.
During his keynote address, Foster posed a critical question about urban development: "So if those are new cities or the extensions of present cities, what kind of cities should we encourage or discourage?" His answer was unequivocal: "I tell you, we encourage the walkable, compact, high-density city. We discourage sprawl and roads into the countryside, eating nature and biodiversity."
Foster presented multiple arguments for dense urban living, starting with environmental benefits. He claimed that compact cities have "half the carbon footprint" of what he termed "suburban car-borne" cities. However, he didn't stop at environmental considerations, acknowledging that not everyone prioritizes planetary concerns.
"But if we say, well we don't give a damn about the planet - where do people want to go? Where does the market dictate?" Foster continued. "If you look at all the surveys of the top 10 cities where people want to visit as tourists or live and bring up a family, absolutely consistently, it's always the walkable city." He further emphasized that from a health perspective, "the healthiest city is the walkable city."
To illustrate his points, Foster referenced a recent interview with The Times where he was asked to identify the most important project Foster + Partners has completed in London. Surprisingly, he didn't choose any of the firm's iconic skyscrapers or landmark buildings. Instead, he selected the Millennium Bridge and the masterplan for Trafalgar Square, which was completed in 2003.
The Trafalgar Square transformation project involved pedestrianizing the road that ran between the square and The National Gallery, along with other improvements to enhance pedestrian access. This initiative grew out of an Evening Standard campaign to improve central London's public squares, which Foster said began with a sketch he drew of Horse Guards Parade with all the cars removed.
"I was appalled by the proliferation of parked cars, totally disfiguring what seemed like a noble ceremonial space - a setting for historic buildings totally destroyed by parked cars," Foster explained to congress attendees. He reminded the audience that most people have forgotten how dysfunctional the space once was: "If we think about Trafalgar Square as it was back in the 1990s - and most people have forgotten this - it was a roundabout. The centre of the square was essentially reserved for pigeons, and one or two people who might sit around the edge feeding the pigeons."
The transformation has been remarkable, according to Foster: "Now it's become really a kind of living room for London." Despite appearing simple, the project required recording vast amounts of data and conducting extensive public consultation. Foster drew parallels to a more recent Norman Foster Foundation project aimed at regenerating an informal settlement in Odisha, eastern India, which introduced modern sanitation, waste recycling systems, paving, and drainage for pedestrian routes while involving extensive community engagement.
Toward the end of his speech, Foster challenged the audience with fundamental questions about decision-making in urban planning: "To sum it up really, do our decisions made on the data? Are they made on the facts? Do they involve those whose lives will be affected and who have a view on the quality, on what they need in their community? Or will those decisions be based on fashion? Will they be based on prejudice? Will it be a top-down imposition?"
As one of the world's most recognized architects, Foster's advocacy for dense, walkable cities carries significant weight in urban planning discussions. The World Design Congress, which took place on September 9 and 10, 2025, provided a platform for Foster to share these insights with industry leaders and designers from around the globe, reinforcing his belief that well-designed urban density serves multiple purposes beyond environmental protection.
