Clare Wildfire: Cities as Systems, Not Silos

Clare Wildfire, Global Cities Lead at Mott MacDonald and a champion of systems thinking, joins The Century of Cities to explore how infrastructure has evolved since 1980, why today's cities are hitting critical limits, and how reimagining interconnectivity can unlock more resilient, inclusive futures. Drawing on her journey from engineering megaprojects to convening cross-sector conversations, Clare offers a unique lens on the systems that power urban life. She discusses the cascading risks cities now face, from climate breakdown to social inequality, and paints two vivid futures for 2080: one dystopian, one regenerative. Her message is clear: to build cities that thrive, we must design with complexity, curiosity, and collaboration at the core.