Building "Reservoirs of Hope" in Future Cities: Lessons from Utopian Hours 2026

Utopia is commonly understood as an imagined ideal society or place where political, social, and living conditions are fundamentally different from those of the present. Derived from Greek, the word literally means "no-place" or "nowhere." Although utopia may not exist in reality, the act of imagining it has long inspired architects and urban thinkers to envision the world otherwise. Amid the ongoing challenges that cities face today — climate crisis, pollution, soaring land prices, aging populations, housing inequality, lack of social services, growing social and economic disparities, and persistent injustices — some regions face overheating and environmental degradation, while others are fighting for access to nature, land, and communities, which rather makes us think of a dystopian future. Thinking about utopia in such a default condition of contemporary cities shaped by the partially failed logic of modern urban planning, what might a more livable, sustainable, diverse, and inclusive city look like in the 21st century?