Say Hello to the New Members of the YUSC

Franca Carassai

Franca is an architectural and urban designer based in London. She studied Architecture at FAPyD (Argentina) and Environmental Architecture and Sustainable Urbanism at La Salle (Spain). She recently completed her complementary studies in Cultural Infrastructure at UCL (UK) and Restauro Architettonico at Università degli Studi di Genova (Italy). She’s currently working in the private sector on a wide range of projects, from public realm guidelines to urban landscape designs, focusing her insights at the intersection of behaviour change and design. She pursues her research interests in active travel, community engagement and collective processes within the built environment and is passionate about engaging herself in collaborations about placemaking and co-design methods.

She believes in architecture and urbanism as a process rather than a project, she believes it’s about triggering reactions in response to an urban problem, a necessity, a common will. She trusts architecture is a city tool, it’s about appropriation, activation of a non-space and social inclusion. Her interests in active travel, community engagement and collective processes within the built environment lead her to always look for new learning opportunities and cultural experiences where to develop a better understanding of how citizens relate to their city and make use of it. On the grounds of it, she strives for practical interventions that can improve people’s everyday lives and are sustainable, both environmentally and socially. 

Franca says...

My experiences with the organisation have been incredibly valuable; participating in the mentoring scheme as well as in the small grants scheme - the latest with Jane’s Walk London - offered by the Academy have been enriching and left a positive impact on me. Therefore, I decided to take on a more active role within the YU network and so in shaping the Academy's mission. I hope that joining the Young Urbanist Steering Committee lead me to make meaningful connections, to engage in thought-provoking discussions from where I can also learn from other driven individuals involved in the city-making process.

Ben Meador

Ben currently works as a Transport Planning Consultant at RPS, focusing on public realm schemes, active travel, and EV charging projects. His academic and professional background spans across the realms of urban design, transport planning, urban policy, marketing, and teaching. 

Before moving to London, he studied Urban Policy & Planning at the University of North Texas and worked as a Research Assistant for Dr. Lauren Fischer, studying the viability of a proposed public green space project located within a park desert in Lewisville, Texas. Prior to his research assistantship, Ben worked simultaneously as a Marketing Strategist for a US transportation firm and as an assistant music teacher for a local high school. 

Throughout his time as an MSc Urban Design and City Planning student at UCL, Ben’s primary focus and research interest shifted towards bicycles, micro-mobility, and active travel as part of a toolkit of instruments in good placemaking - largely influenced by his car-centric hometown environs and his bicycle commutes and journeys around London.

Ben says...

My motivation to contribute to the Academy of Urbanism is fueled by an innate passion for constantly observing how people interact with the built environment. Joining the Young Urbanist network last winter has allowed me to immerse myself in a dynamic community of like-minded professionals who share this enthusiasm. My active participation, inc. organising the bicycle rental aspect of the annual cycle trip, has enabled me to connect with fellow urbanists, fostering relationships that extend beyond mere professional networks. Aligning closely with the values and philosophy of the AoU, I am dedicated to assuming greater responsibilities that leverage my comprehensive, international background and wide-ranging interpersonal and technical skills.

My commitment to continuous learning and innovation is harmonious with the AoU's emphasis on knowledge exchange and progressive urban development. I envision contributing my insights to enrich the Steering Committee's discussions and decisions.