New Documentary to Explore Who/What Shapes Our Cities

From The Infrastructurist

Remember the ultra-charming and engaging documentary Helvetica (trailer above)? Well, the filmmaker behind that 2007 gem, Gary Hustwit, is back and this time he’s taking on urban development. According to new information released on his Web site, he’s currently working on Urbanized, described as follows:

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The third documentary in this trilogy is about the design of cities. Urbanized looks at the issues and strategies behind urban design, featuring some of the world’s foremost architects, planners, policymakers, builders, and thinkers. Over half the world’s population now lives in an urban area, and 75% will call a city home by 2050. But while some cities are experiencing explosive growth, others are shrinking. The challenges of balancing housing, mobility, public space, civic engagement, economic development, and environmental policy are fast becoming universal concerns. Yet much of the dialogue on these issues is disconnected from the public domain.

Who is allowed to shape our cities, and how do they do it? Unlike many other fields of design, cities aren’t created by any one specialist or expert. There are many contributors to urban change, including ordinary citizens who can have a great impact improving the cities in which they live. By exploring a diverse range of urban design projects around the world, Urbanized will frame a global discussion on the future of cities.

The film will premiere in 2011. In the meantime, for up-to-date information about the production and release, you may want to follow Hustwit’s Twitter feed.