Talk

/ Happiness in the city

Is more cultural regeneration the key to urban happiness?

by Joanna Bacon

Jo Bacon was invited to speak at the “Happiness in the City” symposium in Kuwait. Together with architect Noor Boushehri, she presented on the topic of ‘Culture’ at the one-day symposium organised by the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences, the UK Department of International Trade, RIBA and the College of Architecture at Kuwait University.

Rapid development in Kuwait during the late twentieth century has changed its experience for citizens. The symposium invited speakers and guests from the UK, Europe and Middle East to examine how the design of the built environment and developments in technology influence wellbeing in cities in a series of round table discussions, workshops and seminars.

Among other projects, Jo shared ideas from the reimagination and reinvention of public space at the Royal Festival Hall and discussed the role of cultural institutions such as Rambert and Shakespeare's Globe in the renaissance on the south bank of London.