In our latest issue of City Limits, we looked at why making cities easier places to live is a blueprint for all our futures…

City Limits Volume 11 – download it here.  

The 11th issue of City Limits – our regular exploration of what’s happening in cities around the world – we wanted to celebrate the spaces where people feel welcome. Where marginalised groups don’t feel fear, the places to escape noise and clutter (to avoid sensory overload), and where barriers to participation are fewer.

We describe it as Enabling Spaces – the search for ways to make cities more pleasurable, for more people.

One of our articles was a roadmap for why inclusive urban planning should enable more of us to live with ease tomorrow: to bring more support in old age, healing spaces and play into our childhoods…

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Physical Access: The Aging Population
Almost all of us at one time or another will need to have specific needs met as we age, whether that’s due to deteriorating eyesight, hearing or memory, or from experiencing intellectual, sensory or physical challenges. We will need homes that cater for these life events, and the housing industry is starting to plan — and build — for enabling a better future for seniors.

By 2050, the global population of people in
their 80s will be three times what it is today

(World Health Organization, 2022)

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Sustainability: Our Need For Nature
Building with nature — a green infrastructure — is one route to mitigate for cities surviving in hotter, wet, less predictable climate. But it is also being incorporated to help inhabitants feel connected to the outside world. In our built-up cities, biophilic design can feel healing; our cities as a place where the human and the natural can coil together.

Living near green spaces could add 2.5 years
to your life

(Science Advances, US, 2023)

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Everyday Freedoms: Play & Curiosity
Children have lost door-step play, especially in our cities. But levelling up access to urban play space is gaining momentum. And it’s not just children who benefit — cities that integrate elements of play and curiosity will foster conversation and community for all ages.

Play should be prescribed for parents
and their children

(American Academy of Paediatricians and the UK Children’s
Commissioner, 2018)

City Limits Volume 11 – download it here.  

How can cities welcome more people? In our latest issue of City Limits we share how urban life has changed to be better on inclusive and accessible spaces – and even smell better… 

City Limits Volume 11 – download it here.  

It’s through cities that we find meaning, and as we were putting together our 11^th issue of City Limits – our ongoing exploration of the ever changing urban experience – we wanted to look at how city living is accelerating change in the very meaningful task of making places more accessible.  

There’s lots of ways to talk about this, but by calling this issue Enabling Spaces, we wanted to look at what is making more people feel more welcome in cities.  

We go to luxury shops in Miami where a Blind or low vision customer can use a smartphone to interpret what is going on, celebrate a product that silences city noise, and senior housing that connects the community rather than separates them.  

The full 16 page magazine includes:

City Limits Volume 11 – download it here.

Our KIN network take us on a trip to their home cities. This time we head into the night with creative Angel Galán, in Madrid 

Madrid is a cosmopolitan city with long hours… 

Since the 80s, Madrid nightlife has been recognised by residents and visitors as one of the most fun. And while I think there is a clear division between underground and commercial nightlife, lately new hybrid electronic genres are beginning to blur the lines that separate them. 

Madrid nightlife always has something for everyone, all the time. 

It used to be quieter during the summer months because people were on vacation and fewer tourists came. But this has changed: the number of people coming here in the summer has increased, especially because of the number of open-air festivals.  

A lot of night life is outdoors, eg the Mad Cool festival and in bars like La Paralla and at label parties

The increase in tourist apartments has caused people to change neighborhoods 

People are moving away from the city centre. This has gentrified some working-class neighborhoods, such as Carabanchel, which is becoming an area of artists’ studios, galleries and hybrid cultural spaces. 

Find out about the parties that are taking place outside the city centre… 

In Madrid we have the emblematic Siroco and El Sol venues with a very varied program (so I recommend that you visit their websites and find out what’s on), as well as smaller clubs like Cadavra, Specka or Ballesta, and the Sunday parties at La Parrala. And of course you should find out about the parties hosted by the different private clubs in areas far from the city centre. 

The quality of electronic music has been at a high level for a long time…  

Focusing on what I like the most, which is electronic music (from ambient to techno through to electro or bass music), I can say that the quality of the DJs and producers in Madrid – whether the parties, their labels, or their music – has been at a very high level for decades. Go to label parties such as Caustica, Distrito 91 or Analogical Forces for a good example of very creative people making and playing very good music and connecting people from all over the world. 

To delve into more city life read City Limits, our series of pieces exploring the urban experience here. 

Our KIN network takes us on a trip to their home cities. This time we head into the night with architect Alice Asafu-Adjaye, in Accra

People begin – and usually end – their night in Osu, a neighbourhood by the coast

“The center of Accra nightlife is really Osu. It’s where a lot of communities were formed back in the days when we were colonized because it was right by the sea (trading posts and castles were established along the coast by the Danish and British). So, it has always been the hub. Osu brings together locals, tourists and people from the diaspora. It has all these pockets, but there’s this major thoroughfare called Oxford Street, and from one end to the other it’s just full of life. It’s easily three miles long, and it starts from one big, roundabout and it ends up close to the sea, and you have these side roads that you can branch off for relief.”

It is typically Ghana and Accra that the streets basically evolve.

“While it was a planned city, the structure is a bit more flexible, more informal now. When I say informal, it’s because almost everyone I know has a side hustle alongside their day jobs. Most of these don’t have permits, people basically just get a little shop, or sometimes a disused shipping container – give it a bit of sprucing up – and then boom, they have some sort of business in the nightlife area.”

A night out in Osu – The Republic Bar & Grill, eating Kenkey & drinks at Front/Back

We have some very unique restaurants and bars…

“One of these is The Republic Bar & Grill, which is a small joint but it literally spills out onto the road and it’s grown to the extent that they now block out sections just to allow people to sit partly on the road. Now on the same street there are quite a few copy-cat bars. Their unique selling point is making cocktails using akpeteshi, a local spirit brewed from sugar cane. It’s a potent drink that was previously frowned upon because it was for people who couldn’t afford wine or spirits. But these guys basically upscaled it and use it as a base for cocktails. A couple of streets away is The Pallet Kitchen (TPK), and they use local herbs and akpeteshi in their cocktails.”

One of the things that makes the nightlife so interesting in Accra, is that it’s OK if things go wrong.

“… and that’s when you end up at Osu Night Market. It is a maze of streets with food stalls. We have a streetfood, Kenkey and fried fish, which we normally have with chilli sauce. So you can imagine when people have been clubbing and this is in the early hours of the morning, they all just end up eating Kenkey there. The first time I was there, I was just like blown away. I was like, well, why did we not start our evening here?!”

But you can have quieter moments in Accra

“There’s a members club called Front/Back and it has very design-led spaces created by artists. Over the years, they’ve really expanded. I will go there for quieter moments – maybe to avoid traffic because the city is full of heavy traffic or I will schedule a meeting for late afternoon. There’s another place if you want relief called Ghana Club, and it’s where I would say grown ups go. It was the residency of the governor of Accra, then I think around the time of independence it was established as a private members’ club. It has a well-stocked bar, and exhibitions and it’s a good place to meet to debate – whether it’s current affairs, politics. And it’s only a few minutes away from the hustle and bustle.”

But while we are calm, as a people, the nightlife in the city is quite colorful.

“Our reputation for not being the most exciting city I think has really changed over the years. It’s actually quite loud and noisy, but not in an intrusive way. You have someone who has been selling all day you know, like the fruits and vegetables, and when you pass them in the nighttime, they’re still there (and you’re thinking: What’s going on!?). So while we are not like New York in being where a city that never sleeps – there’s always something happening.”

And it’s like a community-based nightlife.

“It’s testament to how important community is because people not only conduct their business in these neighbourhoods but it’s where a lot of them actually live. No one wants to threaten their livelihood or bring a bad name to them or their neighbourhood. So there is a lot of self-policing, and it feels safe there.”

And decibels are quite high…

“There’s a lot of energy – and I can’t think of a nicer word to describe the noise and how loud it is. There’s always someone trading, and you think some people are fighting, but no, it’s just that everything is sort of escalated. People don’t think twice about setting up a boom box!”

If you can describe Accra in three words?

“Spicy, colorful and loud.”

Our KIN network takes us on a trip to their home cities. This time we head into the night with Shishi Wanj, musician and writer, in Nairobi…

When I picture nights in Nairobi it’s with dancing, laughter… and a lot of drinks

“There is a lot of club-hopping because there’s so much to do in the city. I like to joke that Covid switched our brains up because I feel like people party a lot harder now than they used to. I think that’s from the cabin fever of that time and making the most of being out again. And there is now a lot more intentional support for creative events.”

You might want to go to ten shows in one weekend

“… and you wonder how to go to all of them. We are more intentional about showing up for artists because we really understood their value during the pandemic because we missed it. People want to attend events, to support artists or organise and connect people.”

Dancing till the sun rises at The Alchemist, The Kenya Rooftop and The Mist

We have a reputation as a party city

“We have lots of ‘underground’ or cool places – right now the cool kids, up and coming artists and DJs go to The Mist, Shelter, The Alchemist and The Kenya Rooftop to see experiments in dancing, sound and visuals. Most of the clubs and events usually take place in the Westlands area.” 

Bars close at 2am but the party continues…

“Oh yes, yes. I could send you some videos! When people come to the city they are like: “Oh my goodness!” And then they want to stay longer. Our parties start at 6pm with our pre-game of dinner or a local drink, then it’s on to a club, which are packed by midnight. Then it can continue on and on and on and on. Until it’s daylight. We definitely have a reputation for lots and lots of dancing and lots and lots of partying and music that keeps us together and up and alive! Nairobi is a party city.”

We have a lot of creative artists in the city

“There are so many people who don’t want to work in an office, they want to be musicians, rappers, set designers or promoters and it’s natural that then leads to us all thinking, let’s create a good time for people. The party scene is a fusion of both a natural release, but also an expression of what people can do. We’re now seeing the next generation after the Nu Nairobi scene from 2015 – and these up and coming artists also know how to grow and reach global audiences, helping the outdated assumptions of what Kenyan music/art should look and sound to rapidly fade off.”

If I can describe Nairobi in three words… “Vibrant. Bold. Gritty.”

To delve into more city life read City Limits, our series of pieces exploring the urban experience here.

Our KIN network takes us on a trip to their home cities. This time we head into the night with creative Julius Kensan in Jakarta…

Post-pandemic, there has been a revival in the nightlife scene. 

“Office workers juggling business talks and leisure in the private room of a restaurant; college kids convening over street food by the roadside; the sports community winding down through group workouts; and the affluents enjoying drinks from a hotel bar, gazing at the traffic jam below forming slow-moving streams of rubies and topazes.”

In recent years, there has been a focus on crafted cocktails and local craft beer. 

“Even luxury hotels and restaurants regularly hold bar takeovers by mixologists from overseas. The Cocktail Club (No. 19 on Asia’s Top 50 Bars 2023) is constantly packed with people looking to wind down and socialise over cocktails. Cobe (previously named Coffeeberian) is a beer house that specialises in crafted beer from local breweries. Jakartans tend to keep to their own cliques, but here, it feels effortless to strike up conversations with strangers.”

The nightlife scene is one of the best ways to understand Jakarta. 

“Before the pandemic, a night out typically involved partying and heavy drinking. Back then, people regarded cocktails as a waste of money because it’s not good to get drunk fast. These days, more creative players are interpreting and expanding nuances of cocktails and craft beer, such as incorporating spices and indigenous ingredients, signifying how we are taking more pride in our own roots and cultures.”

In general, Indonesians are social creatures. 

“People enjoy being out and about. But that doesn’t mean Jakarta is a city that never sleeps. It’s rare to find establishments that open 24 hours.”

It’s a huge ecosystem where the classy, cool and dodgy co-exist together...

“…and you’ll find different tribes in each of these places. Don’t be surprised to find ride-hailing drivers chilling in warung (roadside stalls) downing special concoctions of coffee (with ingredients meant to increase virility) next to a club or expensive bar. If you come with an open mind, Jakarta’s nightlife is a unique ecosystem bursting with choices, tribes and offbeat characters.”

If I can describe Jakarta in three words, it’s ‘Never the same’. 

“Nightlife in Jakarta is dynamic and ever changing. You’ll find different types of nightlife depending on the regions of Jakarta you’re in, that range from laidback, hedonistic to the uber cool. Plus, people are always open to trying out new things.”

To delve into more city life read City Limits, our series of pieces exploring the urban experience here.

A look back at our favourite picks from Crowd DNA’s City Limits series – now celebrating its 10th issue – and the cultural insights that are still playing out in urban life…

It’s a truism that cities move at a uniquely fast pace. For our ongoing City Limits reports about what’s happening in urban scenes around the world, our writers, videographers and researchers report on those fast-moving moments in (almost) real time.

The Crowd DNA team has produced these reports since 2018, bringing data to life with cultural stories, infographics, trends features, video and case studies. We’ve done issues focused on themes like mobility, the night economy, and small cities, and our tenth report has just been released on the LA sports scene ahead of two major sporting events in the city.

City Limits LA Sports download it here.

The video launch of the City Limits series in 2018

It’s a great time to look back on the City Limits series, to jump off from the stories and think about where the trends, passion points and emerging cultures are moving next. After all, some have become even bigger than we might have expected. Here’s our top ten articles from over the years…

 

1.Our first issue in November 2018 put the spotlight on how brands can combat urban loneliness. Research was showing that people experienced it more living in cities – and still do. We looked at how we are Living Alone, Together and where the urban empty spaces are being used as a backdrop to tell stories about the contemporary human experience in entertainment and branding.

 

2.We took a ride into the future of urban mobility for our second issue (Dec, 2018). Nearly five years later, and cities have really embraced multimodality. We have so many ways of getting from A to B today – with e-scooters, e-bikes, e-mopeds, and car-sharing. The issue also included an exploration of migration and urban movement, and how culture and brands are telling this story, from mapping diversity to social healing.

 

3.Our City Limits reports are also an opportunity to look backwards, as we did in an article in our third issue on Youth (March, 2019). Subcultures & The City chronicled where and how youth culture has claimed space over five decades, in swimming pools or whole districts. We also talk to young people in London and New York about their everyday – and how it might look in their tomorrows…

 

4.There are subjects that we feel compelled to return to, too. Our fourth City Limits about Solutions for a better future explored the divisive issues that impact on city culture – and still do. We analysed five cities around the world and what they are doing to reduce the damage done by the negative effects of gentrification: sustainable, affordable and community-led initiatives.

 

5.And of course we talk to people. Lots of people. In 2019, we interviewed Millennial Volunteers to find out what the new generation of volunteers care about, and what motivates them to give up their time: like Courtnee – who gives her time to the Hackney Night Shelter and speaks to a resurgence in volunteering in the UK – and who lives by the motto, ‘be the change you want to see’.

 

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6.Our cities have seen a lot of change since we began the series – no more so than the last three following the pandemic. Yet research for our sixth issue on Retail Therapy in 2021 led us to heartening stories. One of this was how local has become so important, so we spoke to retailers in cities across APAC to hear what lessons ‘big’ brands can learn from the ‘little’ guys.

 

7.The City Limits series is made with input from all our specialisms. In the fifth issue about the City At Night, our semiotics team looked at how a city cloaked in darkness provides a whole new world of signs and symbols for brands to play with, and the team decoded the semiotics of the night – mythical adventures, heightened senses and the cloak of darkness – used in campaigns.

 

8.We know that music is the cultural life blood of cities – but there is nuance to that. Back in 2021, the seventh issue explored how second tier cities create music scenes in Durban, Hobart and China’s ancient city of Xi’an – highlighting the challenger spirit of smaller cities, and how it’s where a new sound can size contributes to the way it can embed itself quickly.

 

9.In the eighth issue on Destination Cities (May 2021), we felt ready to take some stock on city experiences during the pandemic. One of our stories was about a brief window in the summer of 2021, when city dwellers found themselves ambling through the empty rooms of world-class galleries that normally pack in thousands of tourists a day. We asked: what are the lasting effects of this eerie interlude?

 

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Cities are continually recreated by the people who live in them, and our ninth issue on Super Food told this through looking at how urban diasporas use the culture of food to create their home from home. And what drinks reveal about the spirit of cities around the world – from Cologne to La Crosse.

 

Thanks for reading, we’ve certainly enjoyed making these reports. And are excited to see where we’ll end up next…

Our outputs and stories are made to inspire and invite. It’s just one of the ways we create culturally charged commercial advantage. Contact hello@crowdDNA.com to learn more.

Andy Crysell, Crowd DNA’s founder and CEO, celebrates our ongoing exploration of the ever-changing urban experience…

Back in September 2018, when we were putting our first City Limits together, we only had a one-off in mind. Five years on, ten issues down the line, we’re still at it. We now call it our ‘ongoing exploration of the ever changing urban experience’ and it feels like we’ve barely got started.

Looking back at the intro I wrote for that first issue and, aside from a nod to the long gone London alternative listings mag from whom we lifted the title, a few other things stand out. 

We remarked that it’s not by accident that we term our offices as Crowd DNA London, Crowd DNA Amsterdam and Crowd DNA New York – rather than UK, Netherlands and US. Singapore, Sydney, Stockholm and Los Angeles need adding to that list now – we’ve been busy – but the principle remains the same. It’s through cities that we find meaning. Not so much countries and the onerous patriotism that comes with them.

We talked about how, by Limits, we meant the extremes, the disruptions and the innovations – where city living might take us next. And that’s stayed our ambition over the subsequent issues. From tackling loneliness to revamping mobility; pushing against gentrification; revelling in the after dark; resetting tourism and learning how urban diasporas use the culture of food to create home from home. So many cities covered. So many stories told.

A particularly big story impacted on us somewhere around issue six. Covid came and, for a while there, we were told that cities were doomed. A relic of a different age. And so a bunch of people moved out of the cities… and then an even bigger bunch of people subsequently moved into them. 

Covid didn’t kill cities, then. Not even close. But it probably did accelerate a re-evaluation of what makes them good, and what makes them bad. Fairer cities, smaller cities, more sustainable cities, less segregated cities, thoroughly human cities – there is much to work at and, here at Crowd DNA, we hope to get to play our own small part (all city and placemaking RFPs gladly received!).

City Limits has featured fabulous contributions from so many of our team. When we talk about being an editorially-minded business, it’s a proof point of exactly that. It’s exciting to think where the next ten issues will take us…

And if you’d like some more city-centred reading in the meantime, here’s a few books worth checking:

Jane Jacobs |  The Death And Life Of Great American Cities

Writer and activist Jacobs’ 1961 book critiqued prevailing urban planning practices and advocated for a more people-centered and community-oriented approach to city design. A prime moment in the development of modern placemaking thinking.

Will Hermes | Love Goes To Buildings On Fire

There are countless good books about music and cities. But few intersect the themes quite like this one, named after Talking Heads’ first album. Hermes goes into ultra detail on how mid ‘70s New York City provided the mix of creativity and chaos to spawn six genres running in parallel and feeding off each other: punk, disco, hip-hop, minimalist classical, the loft jazz scene and Nuyorican salsa.

Iain Sinclair | London Orbital

A 127 mile on-foot circumnavigation of London’s unofficial border, the M25. Less about the motorway, though, than a cultural criticism of the urban sprawl. Sinclair’s psychogeography is about experiencing and navigating cities in more intuitive and creative ways.