What will future cities look like and how might these shape our behaviour and minimise our impact on the planet? At present, technology-driven solutions dominate research, industry focus, and thus form major pathways and technological lock-in. It is clear we need viable, radical alternatives if we are to meet environmental and social targets as well as economic ones. This is where the uniqueness of collaboration provides fertile ground for meaningful partnerships. In this guest lecture Professor Nick Dunn and Professor Harry Hoster will share some of their creative approaches and innovative projects for addressing global challenges and urban issues.