Rewilding Cities

The inaugural Future of Cities global virtual think tank program – Rewilding Cities – presented in collaboration with NewCities Foundation, powered by

Featuring Deepak Chopra, founder of The Chopra Foundation and bestselling author; David Holmgren, co-originator of the global Permaculture movement and founder of Holmgren Design; Jeanne Gang, distinguished global architect and Principal of Studio Gang; Tony Cho, Founder of Future of Cities. and Amanda Joy Ravenhill, Executive Director of Buckminster Fuller Institute.

Our inaugural Pre-Earth Day Global Think-Tank

re·wild /rēˈwīld/ verb
restore (an area of land) to its natural uncultivated state (used especially with reference to the reintroduction of species of wild plant and animal life that have been driven out).

Special interstitial creative performances from the Design Science Studio, an educational incubator for artists exploring Buckminster Fuller’s principles of Design Science.

Before society unthinkingly returns to “normal,” how can we seize this moment to decarbonize and “rewild” our cities, resetting our relationship with nature? If there is one thing the last year has taught us, it’s the pressing need for greater access to public green space — our wellbeing and the health of our environment depends on it.

Featured speakers —

Deepak Chopra, Luminary & Bestselling Author

Deepak is founder of The Chopra Foundation, a non-profit entity for research on well-being and humanitarianism, and Chopra Global, a modern-day health company at the intersection of science and spirituality, is a world-renowned pioneer in integrative medicine and personal transformation. Chopra is a Clinical Professor of Family Medicine and Public Health at the University of California, San Diego and serves as a senior scientist with Gallup Organization. He is author of over 89 books translated into over forty-three languages, including numerous New York Times bestsellers. His 90th book and national bestseller, Metahuman: Unleashing Your Infinite Potential (Harmony Books), unlocks the secrets to moving beyond our present limitations to access a field of infinite possibilities. Daily Breath with Deepak receive the 2020 Webby Award for Podcast in Health and Wellness. TIME magazine has described Dr. Chopra as “one of the top 100 heroes and icons of the century.”

David Holmgren, Co-Originator of Permaculture

David Holmgren is the co-originator of the permaculture concept following publication of Permaculture One, co-authored with Bill Mollison in 1978. David is globally recognised as a leading ecological thinker, teacher, writer and speaker promoting permaculture as a realistic, attractive and powerful alternative to dependent consumerism. Other key publications include Permaculture: Principles and Pathways Beyond Sustainability (2002) and Future Scenarios: How Communities Can Adapt To Peak Oil and Climate Change (2009), RetroSuburbia: The Downshifter’s Guide to a Resilient Future (2018) and most recently, Our Street (2020).

Jeanne Gang, Distinguished Global Architect

Jeanne Gang, FAIA, is the founding principal and partner of Studio Gang, an architecture and urban design practice headquartered in Chicago with offices in New York, San Francisco, and Paris. Her inquisitive, forward-looking approach to design—unique in its pursuit of new technical and material possibilities as well as in its expansion of the active role of designers in society—has distinguished her as a leading architect of her generation. Drawing insight from ecological systems, she creates striking places that connect people with each other, their communities, and the environment. Her studio’s diverse, award-winning work includes major projects throughout the Americas and Europe, ranging from community-centered cultural institutionsA MacArthur Fellow and a Professor in Practice at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, Jeanne has been honored with the Cooper Hewitt National Design Award in Architecture and was named one of the most influential people in the world by TIME magazine.

Amanda Joy Ravenhill, Buckminster Fuller Institute

Amanda Joy Ravenhill is an active member of the international community focused on addressing imminent global challenges. She is the Executive Director of Buckminster Fuller Institute, where she is accelerating the design science revolution, applying the principles of science to the design of a future that meets the needs of 100% of life. Ravenhill is driven by her experience living and working internationally as well as her enthusiasm to integrate art and science. She lectures and speaks publicly on such wide-ranging topics as biochar, regenerative design, carbon drawdown strategies, mindfulness, and systems thinking. She is deeply inspired by the life of Buckminster Fuller and his goal to “make the world work for 100% of humanity in the shortest possible time through spontaneous cooperation without ecological offense or disadvantage to anyone”.

Tony Cho, Future of Cities

Tony Cho is founder and CEO of Metro 1, a forward-thinking real estate brokerage, management and development firm focused on shaping neighborhoods and developing sustainable cities in South Florida and beyond. The company has completed over $2.5 billion in real estate transactions since 2005 and has been recognized every year since 2011 as one of the top 25 commercial real estate firms by South Florida Business Journal. As an entrepreneur and early pioneer in Wynwood, Tony served as a founding member of the Wynwood Business Improvement District (BID), and championed the progressive rezoning of the area — known as the Wynwood NRD (Neighborhood Redevelopment Plan) — which transformed blighted streets into a diverse, 24-hour mixed-use arts and entertainment district. In 2011, Tony was awarded the prestigious Young Leader of the Year Award from the Urban Land Institute for his role in the redevelopment of Miami’s urban core neighborhoods.