The 2024 IMCL Cortona conference just concluded four intense days of thought-provoking content and great companionship in the beautiful Tuscan city of Cortona, and its stunning 17th century conference venue
ABOVE - Researcher David Brain of the University of Notre Dame and Civic Design Strategies presents on the complex "civic ecology" of the City of Cortona, with its networks of evolving places.
CORTONA, ITALY - Attendees left here tired but thoughtful after a jam-packed conference of topics on frontier urban livability challenges and their solutions, including timeless lessons from great cities and towns. Over 100 attendees from every continent except Antarctica represented governments, practitioners, NGO heads and researchers, sharing the latest knowledge on current challenges for livable and sustainable cities, towns and suburbs around the world.
Attendees took time out to acknowledge several honorees as well, including Simon Conibear, long-time development manager of King Charles' iconic Poundbury development in the UK, and Yves Bovero, a key development executive for the equally iconic Le Plessis-Robinbson, a landmark suburban retrofit project in the Paris region. Both were honored with the 2024 IMCL Achievement Award. The 2024 IMCL Mayors' Vision Award went to Rod Roberson of the City of Elkhart, Indiana, for his visionary leadership in the transformation of that midwest industrial city.
Attendees also had ample opportunities to rub elbows, form new friendships and develop new collaborations -- a key goal for the IMCL from its beginning in 1985. The series was begun by Suzanne Lennard, a British architectural and urban scholar, and Henry Lennard, a Viennese medical sociologist. The Lennards were passionate about sharing the best evidence-based lessons of great cities and towns to improve the quality of life for all, and to promote personal and planetary health. To do it, they brought together many of the world’s most innovative and successful mayors, planners, economic development specialists, designers, developers, NGO officials, and researchers and scholars.
In the years since its founding, the IMCL has become a unique peer-to-peer gathering of city leaders and researchers, typically hosted in beautiful, intimate and instructive case-study locales (like Cortona). While we recognize that online education is an increasingly important professional development component, the IMCL believes there is no substitute for a component of face-to-face and on-the-ground immersive learning, personally sharing effective tools and strategies to drive positive change.
Following are some photos from the 61st conference. Videos of the plenary presentations will be available in the near future!
Above: Cortona Mayor Luciano Meoni welcomes attendees.
Above: US Embassy to Rome Cultural Attaché Karen Schinnerer is welcomed by officers of the City of Cortona, while (left) IMCL Board Member Jim Brainard looks on.
ABOVE: The conference brought together over 100 attendees from every continent except Antarctica, including government officials, practitioners, NGO heads, and researchers across a range of disciplines.
ABOVE: Catered hors d'oeuvres and an exhibition of beautiful projects await conference attendees in the cloister of the venue, a stunning 17th century former monastery.
ABOVE: Attendees discuss the proceedings. L-R Roland Larivier of Paris, Ayanda Roji of Johannesburg, and Guy Courtois of Paris.
ABOVE: Attendees gather at a reception and dinner on the second night of the conference.
ABOVE: The volunteer "Red Shirt Brigade" handles technical and other issues with a smile.
ABOVE: Yves Bovero wins the 2024 IMCL Achievement Award for his work at Le Plessis-Robinson, a stunningly successful suburban retrofit in the Paris region.
ABOVE: Conference manager Leslie Barrett tends to the book table.
ABOVE: George Ferguson, Past President of the Royal Institute of British Architects and former Mayor of Bristol, UK, describes a new book at the book signing session.
ABOVE: Guests arrive for the awards dinner on the third night of the conference.
ABOVE: The awards dinner gets under way.
ABOVE: Attendees gather in the beautiful cloister to discuss the conference topics.
ABOVE: Liz Moule, co-founder of the Congress for the New Urbanism and partner of legendary firm Moule & Polyzoides, presents their extensive research on Italian hill towns.
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