Since the emergence of de-regulation policies in the past few decades, followed by the rise of neo-liberalism, architecture and urban design have been increasingly driven by global capital flows. As a consequence, the historical social role of architecture during modernism has been redefined into a commercial one that responds predominantly to market demands. 

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In a pursuit to reclaim a critical approach that is more conscious of the needs of society, the Urban Politics Studio aims to map the complexity of urban power relations, and review the city through many lenses: that of a politician, economist, humanitarian, strategist, resident, activist or visitor. We will consider these different contexts as a series of design parameters. Through carefully unpacking the different desires and constraints, we will develop a critical and analytical approach to the design process. Using an ethnographic research methodology, we aim to gain understanding, discover new insights and (re)frame design opportunities.