I like mood boards and I like blank canvas. I like studios and I like labs. I like cities and I like markets. I like kitchens and I like gardens. And I, most definitely, like galleries and garages. I’ve been thinking a lot about perspective, point of view, attitude and themes focused on how we navigate life internally and externally. For a long time, I’ve looked for a box I could fit comfortably into, but the more I searched, the more my quiet desperation turned into confusion, which then turned into disillusionment. It took many tries at thinking, asking, dialogue and contemplation to eventually synthesize a worldview I could live in and love. But first, I had to go through an existential crisis, earnestly consider nihilism, and experience spiritual awakening and spiritual rebirth. Like a drowning man, I floundered until I came to surrender, and in surrender, I floated. In the acceptance of my differences and quirks, I found my uniqueness. ...

The Urban Future Requires Resilience to Survive. To Thrive, Antifragility. In the 21st century, cities are more than just population centers. They are economic engines, cultural beacons and innovation labs. In many geographies, cities are also at the knife-edge of climate change effects. Thoughtful design, innovation and experimentation could lead to meaningful living standards, readied resilience and superb success. On the other hand, delayed technology adoption and misaligned incentives could lead to residents, policymakers, city planners and emergency responders all being caught flat-footed in the next disaster. In 2025, more than half the world’s population lives in urban areas. By 2050, that number will rise to nearly 70 per cent[1]. From San Francisco in California to Huaqiangbei in Shenzhen, and from Wall Street in New York to Nairobi’s Central Business District, cities concentrate opportunity. But they also concentrate risk. ...