DETAILS

GIL PENALOSA "8 80 CITIES, FOR EVERYONE" Gil Penalosa is passionate about cities for all people. He advises decision makers and communities worldwide to create vibrant cities and healthy communities for all, regardless of age, gender, ability and social, economic, or ethnic background. His focus is on the design and use of parks and streets as great public places, as well as the promotion of sustainable mobility: walking, riding bicycles, using public transit, and new use of cars. Gil has worked in over 350 cities across all continents. Gil is the Founder and Chair of the Canadian non-profit organization 8 80 Cities. In addition, Gil is founder of Cities for Everyone and leads the international consulting firm, Gil Penalosa & Associates. Throughout his career, Gil has been a strong advocate for improving city parks, making his first mark in Bogotá, Colombia, where he led the design and construction of over 200 parks. Gil was elected twice as chair of World Urban Parks. He holds an MBA from UCLA’s Anderson School of Management, received a Doctorate Honoris Causa from the Faculty of Urban Planning at Swedish SLU. In 2023 Gil was voted Planetizen’s Top 100 Most Influential Contemporary Urbanists, at #13. About CIVIQ A free, quarterly speaker series introducing and humanizing national and international movements in urban design. Chattanooga Design Studio aims to position Chattanoogans to leave feeling inspired, informed, and activated. More than a lecture, each event is intended to equip the city to think differently about challenges faced in our community. Our gratitude to the Lyndhurst Foundation for seeding and sustaining CIVIQ. A special thanks to Presenting Sponsor, PlayCore, for helping to make this event possible. We also thank Community Partner, Chattanooga Public Library, and City of Chattanooga Parks & Outdoors for supporting our mission and CIVIQ. For more information about Chattanooga Design Studio, visit chattanoogastudio.com