The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat has rebranded as the Council for Vertical Urbanism (CVU) to reflect a global refocus on “vertical ecosystems” away from tall buildings as a goal in themselves.

The Council commented on the organisation’s “evolving” identity:

“The world has changed, cities face new pressures, from the effect of climate change to housing affordability, and tall buildings alone can’t solve them.”

The CVU said this move “recognises and validates that vertical urbanism has emerged as a legitimate philosophy, discipline and global movement, shaping the way cities around the world confront the challenges of the 21st century.”

CEO Javier Quintana de Uña commented:

“We are widening the lens; vertical urbanism isn’t just about height; it’s about designing upward in smarter, more integrated ways to deliver sustainable, connected and human-centred cities.”

Scott Duncan, board member at the CVU and design partner at SOM said:

“We are witnessing as an urban population a transformation from height as the goal, to quality and nuance.” 

The CVU explained vertical urbanism as “a new way to imagine a city, as a system; connected, liveable, and resilient.” Duncan added that new urban architecture was set to respond more strongly and sensitively to existing fabric: “We are entering a period where we have very mature cities with a rich variety of buildings, and now the next set of additions to that ecosystem are going to be much more intelligent and symbiotic in the way they relate to other buildings. ”

Quintana de Uña commented that a focus on community engagement in design was key to vertical urbanism:

“The success of buildings now has to do with how the community enjoys them, how they connect to infrastructure, and the experience of the user, and there’s a new group of people who have a say in the design of these buildings.”