As part of the Biennale Architettura 2025 Public Programme, this day-long symposium explores emerging urban paradigms, with a focus on small and mid-sized cities where transformation increasingly relies on human intelligence rather than technology alone.

Co-organised with Jean-Louis Missika (media sociologist and former Deputy Mayor of Paris for Urban Planning and Innovation), the event brings together international experts for five themed roundtables addressing urgent topics: underground space management, AI-based surveillance, urban renaturalisation, and rural regeneration.

In parallel, two live hackathons will involve students of architecture, urbanism, and design, who will develop and present innovative solutions to be shared at the end of the seminar.

Speakers: Jean-Sébastien LeBreton (Exhibition Manager, Pavillon de l’Arsenal), Philippe Chiambaretta (Architect and Urban Planner, founder of PCA-STREAM), Lily Munson (Secretary-General, Villes Vivantes), Stéphanie Lemoine (Journalist, and contributor to Ecofaubourgs), Rosina Vinyes (Architect and Urban Planner, University of Barcelona), Adrien Larcade (Project Director, Paris La Défense), Carine Saloff Costes (Engineer and Director of SAEMES), Nicolas Dorval Bory (Architect), Bas Smets (Landscape Architect), Quentin Barenne (Director and founder, Wintics), Elsa Lebrun & Charly Dufour (Founders, Poumtchak Studio), Jean Guiony (President of the Institute of Land Transition, and Founder of Aqua Alta), Gabrielle Fack(Economist), Laurent Eisenman (Director of New Uses and Rural Services Program, SNCF Tech4Mobility), Yaëlle Amsellem Mainguy (Sociologist and Research Associate at CERLIS), Alexandre Born (Co-founder and General Director, Bellevilles), Vidal Benchimol (Ecofaubourg).