Chaired by
Shelagh McNerney
of
Manchester City Council
Sponsored by
Trowers & Hamlins
Cities are shaped as much by disruption as by growth. From sudden shocks to long periods of economic decline, moments of crisis often force difficult decisions that define places for generations.
Phoenix Cities brings together built environment professionals from across the globe to explore what long-term regeneration really looks like once the headlines fade. Drawing on Manchester’s recovery following the 1996 bombing, New Zealand’s experience of earthquakes, floods and major storms, and Pittsburgh’s resurgence after industrial decline, the event looks beyond masterplans and ambition to the realities of governance, delivery and legitimacy.
Across these different contexts, common themes emerge: who holds power, how are communities meaningfully engaged, and how do places balance economic viability with quality, identity and fairness. Through short presentations and a chaired discussion, contributors will share practical lessons from working in complex, post-disruption environments: what helped, what hindered, and what they would do differently.
The discussion will then turn home, grounding these insights in Manchester and Greater Manchester’s towns and cities. What should we take from international experience? What should we avoid? And what decisions do we need to make now if we are serious about building places that are resilient, inclusive and fit for the long term?
The event is chaired by Shelagh McNerney, Head of Regeneration at Manchester City Council, and brings together contributors working across planning, regeneration, landscape and urban design in the UK, New Zealand and the United States.
With thanks to our sponsor, Trowers & Hamlins.
