How do urbanism and joy align?
A look into the 2026 Urbanism Awards theme question
Earlier this spring, the AoU held a hybrid evening workshop, Shaping a Collective Focus to launch the 2026 Urbanism Awards finalists.
Following a whistle stop tour (via slideshow) of the Awards' existing seven criteria and a selection of past finalist case studies, participants in London, Edinburgh, and Dublin were invited to discuss the themes they'd be most interested to dive into during this year's assessment programme. Key areas of interest identified through table discussions and feedback largely picked up on the social and community side of place - from inclusivity and safety to culture and play.
Contributing ideas through Menti (pictured) and expertly chaired by Sophia de Sousa, participants gravitated to themes around fun and vibes - or craic - we landed on the theme question for the 2026 finalists:
Joy: How does the place contribute to a sense of play, joy, and delight felt by a range of users?
This question has been added to the assessment visit and reporting process, and we look forward to hearing from each city, town, neighbourhood, street + space about how these places contribute to a sense of joy!
Assessment visits take place between May and September and are open to Academicians, Young Urbanists, and Group Members to attend. Click here for the full list of dates and candidates.
Assessment reports are published in the autumn when member voting opens. The Awards Ceremony will take place in London in November.
