Our cities are changing quickly, shaping how we live, work, and connect. As they grow, we face big questions: how do we add the homes and infrastructure we need without harming the environment or pushing people out?

Adding green spaces and using more sustainable building methods can make city life healthier, fairer, and better for the planet. But rapid development can also risk damaging local communities and important cultural sites if we’re not careful.

The Conduit gathers a panel of experts to explore creative ideas and real-life solutions for building cities that are not only greener—but also more welcoming, inclusive, and liveable for everyone.

Event Schedule

6:00pm: Pre-event socialising and networking

A cash bar will be available for refreshments.

6:15pm: Event begins

7:30pm: Event ends

Speakers

Jan Kattein, DipArch, MArch, PhD, FIPM, is a writer, lecturer and architect reinventing design as a socially and environmentally regenerative practice. His studio, Jan Kattein Architects is today recognized internationally as a leading placemaking and participatory design practices with award-winning projects that are celebrated for their spatial- and civic accomplishments. Recent awards include the 2023 social Value Architect of the Year Award, Best Build Environment Practice in the TET Education Awards 2023 and a Commendation for a lifetime of Architecture for the Common Good in the 2024 MacEwen Awards. Jan has written ‘The Architecture Chronicle – Diary of an Architectural Practice’ published by Ashgate in 2014, ‘High Street Regeneration’ published by UCL in 2022 and ‘Londoners Making London – Transforming neighbourhoods’ published by Lund Humphries in 2024. His research critically reflects on the role of the architect, advocating the integration between spatial and social practice as the only credible response to the environmental crisis.

Ellie Robinson is Head of Urban Green Space at the National Trust where she has led the establishment of their national strategic programmes and partnerships to support the greening of towns, cities and neighbourhoods over the last decade. This includes the award-winning Future Parks Accelerator in partnership with the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Her approach centres on collaboration, co-creation and sustainability, enabling creative solutions to systemic challenges by working with and through others rooted in place, from local government to charities and community organisations. Ellie is currently co-leading Nature Towns and Cities, a new 10 year initiative founded with Natural England and NLHF, launching in July. Their shared mission is for 5 million more people to have access to nature and green space close to home by 2035 through mobilising support and investment for 100 towns and cities across the UK to put nature at the heart of place-making, inclusive growth and community empowerment.

Alex Robinson is the CEO of Hubbub, an award-winning charity that’s making sustainability second nature. By injecting creativity into social and environmental problems, Hubbub’s work shows that anything is possible when you put people at the heart of environmental action. Hubbub was named ‘Charity of the Year’ by Charity Times in 2023. After a successful career as an entrepreneur in the music industry, Alex turned to his passion for environmental and social issues, joining Hubbub in 2017. He thereby joined a very small group of people who have worked with both Snoop Dogg and KPMG. Follow Alex on LinkedIn here.

Humaira Ikram is a professional Garden Designer at Studio Ikram and specialises in client focused landscapes which are pollinator friendly and as sustainable as possible. She runs the Garden Design Diploma at the KLC School of Design and has cultivated a special interest in collaborating on show gardens and other planting projects. She is currently a regular contributor on BBC Gardeners Question Time on Radio 4, has been a Guest Judge on the Netflix Series The Big Flower Fight, is a Gardens Advisor to RHS Hyde Hall and is on various selection and advisory panels for the RHS. In her previous life, she read Environmental Science at Kings College, London and worked for Reuters, before retraining as a Garden Designer.