Change can sometimes be achieved through very concrete actions. Installing benches, for example, encourages the elderly or people with reduced mobility to go outside instead of staying at home, because a bench allows them to take a rest. Another example: green areas reduce summer heat in cities and increase residents’ well-being. But it will only work if the change is equal.

“We know that affluent neighbourhoods tend to be greener than lower-income ones. But we cannot have green areas for our affluent citizens only,” she stresses. “Green policies have to be coupled with initiatives of affordable housing, inclusionary zoning and the like. By thinking holistically, we can create both natural and socially inclusive neighbourhoods.”

Nyasha Harper-Michon has been directly involved in implementing such ideas through her work with the Amsterdam municipality on urban planning in Zuid Oost, a borough undergoing urban renewal. “It’s an area grappling with friction between the community and municipal urban endeavours amid ongoing gentrification. Those shaping the plans often lacked intimate knowledge of the community, so it is also about trying to build connections and create common ground,” she explains.

In her efforts to advocate for a more open city, the architect uses social networks extensively to reach out to young people, who are often very concerned about the future. Nyasha Harper-Michon observes this among her students. “There's a lot of anxiety, and at such a young age. It’s worrying, but it can also motivate them to take action.”

Social networks can be an effective tool to raise awareness among youth. Harper-Michon sees social media, despite its downsides, as a part of the solution: it can be used to share knowledge and to create a sense of community. “If used wisely, social media can be a powerful tool for shaking things up and influencing decision-making.”