Exploring affordable housing and the role of urban strategies

EY, Luxembourg

Yesterday, I had the chance to dive into a topic that not only impacts the future of cities but is also central to our work as urban designers—Affordable Housing. The event hosted by AmCham Luxembourg brought together different sectors: from finance to real estate, highlighting how interdisciplinary collaboration is key to addressing housing challenges.

As urban designers, I believe that we play a crucial role in shaping solutions that go beyond the architectural aspect. Our job is to bridge multiple sectors and create strategies that balance economic, social and environmental needs. It’s events like this that emphasize how vital it is for us to stay engaged in discussions about housing policy, public-private partnerships, and urban growth.

The panel explored innovative approaches from countries like Ireland’s Housing for All and France’s Loi Pinel, which offer fresh perspectives on how to approach Luxembourg’s own housing crisis. It was a great reminder of the importance of such subjects in our profession, as our designs must integrate financial strategies and policy frameworks to create truly sustainable, livable cities.

Urban design is about much more than drawing maps—we are involved in every layer of city-making, from architecture to economic strategies, and this event reaffirmed the need for us to engage deeply with these issues!

A huge thank you to Paul Schonenberg, David Syenave, and Mario Di Stefano for organizing such an insightful and inspiring event! 👏🏼