On May 1st like today, but in 1931, a structure was inaugurated in New York that
would mark a before and after in the history of cities: the Empire State Building.
It was, at the time, the tallest architectural work in the world, a symbol of progress,
ambition and urban vision. Today, almost a century after that milestone, it remains an icon. But, more
Beyond its height, it represents something even more relevant to our present: the need to
think about cities in an integrated, sustainable and humane way.

In a world that is urbanizing at unprecedented rates, where more than 56% of the population
world lives in cities (and it is expected that by 2050 it will be almost 70%), the question is not
not only how we build up, but how we plan forward.

Urban planning: a megatrend for rethinking the future

Urban planning can no longer be an isolated exercise between engineers, architects or
governments. It is a global megatrend that demands collaborative approaches, evidence
based on data, transversal governance and technologies that not only build cities
bigger, but smarter, healthier, more inclusive and resilient.
Today cities face challenges as diverse as social inequality,
territorial fragmentation, the climate emergency and new demographic dynamics.

Latin America, for example, remains the most unequal region in the world, with a
Gini coefficient has remained almost unchanged for over a decade. And that also translates into
Urban inequality: unequal access to services, limited mobility, health conditioned by the
environment and vulnerability to natural phenomena.

Therefore, intelligent planning becomes a vital tool. One that combines
hard infrastructures (such as power grids, sensors and digital platforms) with
soft infrastructures (such as inclusive public policies, intersectoral collaboration and
citizen participation).

Verticality is not enough: we need an overview

The Empire State Building was a response to its time. The city was growing, it needed space, and
found the solution in verticality. Today, our cities need more than that:
need a comprehensive vision.

A vision that prioritizes urban health, with environments that promote well-being and
reduce social gaps, embrace the cultural diversity of today's cities, and
that guarantees equitable access to opportunities regardless of neighborhood or zip code.
Because the true height of a city is no longer measured in meters, but in its capacity to
generate quality of life for all its inhabitants.

At Suramericana we see it clearly: the cities of the future are built today.

From our perspective as a company that cares about well-being and competitiveness
sustainable, we believe that talking about urban planning is talking about health, inclusion,
adaptation and co-responsibility. It is understanding that every decision we make today
—as a company, as citizens or as governments— shapes the environments in which
we will live tomorrow.

Just as the Empire State Building challenged the limits of its time, today it is up to us
challenge the limits of urban thinking. Because more than skyscrapers, we need
cities designed with well-being in mind.

Learn more about this and other megatrends that help us anticipate futures.
possible: https://suramericana.com/nuestros-servicios/megatendencias/