Schedule
5 months, over 30 leading organisations and public institutions worldwide, one common goal: reimagining and redesigning the future of undergrounds.
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Topics
From Multi-Utility Tunnels to innovative freight solutions — the underground world is part of multiple systems. We run distinct tracks for each of these systems.
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Challenges
The ground under our cities hosts a disordered bundle of utilities, tunnels, and unused spaces. There is plenty of room, both metaphorically and literally, for better planning of underground infrastructures.
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Support packages
Big ambitions, shared bill. "Urban Underground, Redesigned" is a cooperative endeavour across more than 30 organisations from the public and private sector alike, which allows to share the track costs.
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Advisory board
We are building a team of architects, system designers, and urbanists, to facilitate the ideation and visualisation of future paradigms for underground urbanism.
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Schedule
A systemic,
future-design
track
Systemic research
The first step of the project involves conducting extensive research on the problem area, exploring its various dimensions and far-reaching ramifications. This research is comprehensive and involves a combination of expert interviews, team focus groups, and desk-based research. The goal is to gain a deep understanding of the current state of affairs, identify key challenges and opportunities, and uncover insights that will inform the subsequent stages of the project.
Future ideation and co-creation
This stage involves bringing together a diverse group of stakeholders, including designers, experts, and end-users, to collectively generate innovative ideas and concepts for the future. Through collaborative workshops, brainstorming sessions, and design thinking techniques, these ideas are refined and shaped into tangible solutions that have the potential to address the identified challenges and create positive change.
Future roadmapping
Here, the focus is on developing a strategic plan that outlines the steps required to bring the envisioned solutions to life. This involves setting clear goals and objectives, identifying key milestones and dependencies, and allocating resources effectively. The roadmap provides a structured framework for implementation, ensuring that the project progresses in a cohesive and well-coordinated manner, ultimately leading to the realization of the desired future outcomes.
Final project demo
The culmination of the project is marked by a one-day digital event held in Winter 2025. This event brings together all the teams involved in the Future Tracks initiative to showcase their final results and present their innovative solutions. It serves as an opportunity to share the outcomes of the project with a wider audience, including stakeholders, decision-makers, and the general public. The final event allows for celebration of the achievements, highlights the impact of the design and systems thinking, and encourages further collaboration and knowledge sharing among participants.
Topics
6 thematic
Future Tracks
FUTURE TRACK — 001
Underground Agorà'
Till now mostly liminal, underground spaces could offer additional room for human services, easing the pressure on the busiest city centers in the world. New and existing underground tunnels — think of WWII tunnels — offer the opportunity for unusual experiences. cheaper services, and faster mobility solutions.
Architectural firm WilkinsonEyre has disclosed plans to transform London's Kingsway Exchange Tunnels into an immersive exhibit, uncovering their covert wartime past as a classified government telecommunication exchange. Positioned 40 metres beneath High Holborn Street in the heart of London, these corridors were constructed throughout World War II. Source: Dezeen.
FUTURE TRACK — 002
Utility Tunnels
Utility Tunnels, increasingly adopted worldwide, have the potential to speed up maintenance, reduce roadworks, increase service reliability, and improve workers' conditions. Which new generations of utility and multi-utility tunnels can we envision, and which partners to we need to turn these visions into reality?
District heating tunnel in Copenhagen, Denmark. Source: Wikipedia.
FUTURE TRACK — 003
Ancillary Systems
Redesigning city subterraneans will undeniably influence the metropolitan aboveground scenery too. Within this Future Track, we concentrate on the adjacent causations and outcomes of our connection to the subterranean realm: what supporting infrastructures should we establish (such as Urban Consolidation Centres and district heating facilities)? What impact would subterranean tunneling impose on neighborhoods?
Digital Punggol is Singapore’s first district to adopt an integrated masterplan approach, boasting car-free avenues, while pushing public and private transport underground. Source: jtc.
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FUTURE TRACK — 004
Osmotic Infrastructures
A growingly employed subterranean system must be reachable from above ground. Design elements, such as light shafts, lifts, and stairs, should be conceptualized to provide entry to the belowground passages for residents, maintenance staff, utility services, and cargo alike. This Future Track centers on the generation and depiction of suitable surface-level constructions that can effectively and competently link with the underground grid — think of distribution centers, pneumatic garbage collection facilities, and beyond.
The underground station of Toledo, in Naples' city center. A narrow skylight provides the station with natural light, while creating a playful connection with the surface. Source: Unsplash.
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FUTURE TRACK — 005
Subsurface Digital Twins
How can we map and visualize the underground? LiDAR technologies, sensoring, and database consolidation could help solve this issue. This Future Track centers on the digital counterpart of future underground initiatives, contemplating potential use cases and requirements, and the future tech (from sensoring to data processing) that will be needed to achieve them.
The Underground Digital Twin project in Singapore aims to create a dynamic 3D map of all underground spaces and infrastructure. It uses technologies like GPR, LiDAR and photogrammetry. Source: Gogeomatics.
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FUTURE TRACK — 006
Non-Urban Underground
Imagine a world where bustling freight corridors flow seamlessly across our cities, connecting distribution centers, ports, and industrial hubs with remarkable efficiency. Underground freight tunnels hold the key to unlocking a future where congestion on roads is alleviated, environmental impact is reduced, and logistics are optimized to unprecedented levels. In this Future Track, we will envision the transformative impact of these underground networks.
Cargo Sous Terrain (CST) is a visionary 500-kilometer underground tunnel network spanning from Geneva to St. Gallen, reaching depths of up to 40 meters below the surface. Electrically powered autonomous pods would travel at 30kmh, each carrying two pallets, connecting various hubs along the extensive tunnel network. Source: Swissinfo.ch
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Challenges
We need a better underground
CHALLENGE
From messy underground utilities
Kilometers of cables and pipes form an intricate labyrinth in the underground. Electricity, gas, clean water, wastewater, and internet infrastructure find their own way into our homes, resulting in a complex and disjointed system.
SOLUTION
→ to unified Multi-Utility Tunnels
By consolidating and organizing utilities and essential services within a unified underground network, we can streamline operations, enhance efficiency, and ensure a more reliable and sustainable infrastructure for future generations. Multi-Utility Tunnels, already under development in numerous cities worldwide, could be a solution.
CHALLENGE
From busy, trafficked surfaces
Our city streets are congested, with limited space for pedestrians, cyclists, and public transport. The growing demand for mobility and transportation services has reached a tipping point, resulting in increased traffic congestion and reduced livability.
SOLUTION
→ to more space for pedestrians
By shifting utility infrastructure and freight transportation underground, we can reclaim valuable surface space and create vibrant, pedestrian-friendly environments. This approach not only improves mobility but also fosters healthier, more sustainable communities, where people can enjoy public spaces free from the constraints of traffic.
CHALLENGE
From uneasy roadworks
Roadworks and maintenance activities often disrupt traffic flow, causing congestion and inconvenience for commuters. These projects can be time-consuming, costly, and pose safety risks to both workers and the public.
SOLUTION
→ to safer and faster maintenance
By streamlining and consolidating utilities into (shallow) tunnels, maintenance work could become much faster, cheaper, and safer for the people working on it — while minimizing disruptions to traffic flow.
CHALLENGE
From hard upgradability
Existing underground infrastructures often face challenges when it comes to incorporating new technologies and advancements. The complexities of retrofitting or upgrading outdated systems hinder the adoption of innovative solutions.
SOLUTION
→ to easy implementation of new tech
New underground paradigms, like Multi-Utility Tunnels (MUTs), could be designed with forward-thinking flexibility, allowing for seamless integration of new technologies and infrastructural upgrades — implementation of smart grids, advanced communication networks, or sustainable energy solutions.
CHALLENGE
From flood-prone cities
Cities face the constant threat of flooding, which poses serious risks to both infrastructure and human lives. Traditional surface-based systems struggle to cope with the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events.
SOLUTION
→ to resilient cities
Through innovative underground design, we can create resilient cities that can withstand and adapt to the challenges of climate change. By integrating advanced drainage systems, floodwater storage, and real-time monitoring, we can effectively manage water flow, minimize damage, and enhance overall urban resilience.
CHALLENGE
From scattered ownership
Ownership and management of underground infrastructures are often fragmented, resulting in coordination challenges, conflicting interests, and inefficiencies. This decentralized approach hampers holistic planning and comprehensive development.
SOLUTION
→ to a systemic design of urban undergrounds
We advocate for a systemic approach to the design and governance of urban undergrounds. By fostering partnerships, knowledge-sharing, and coordinated decision-making, we can create cohesive, positive-sum synergies, maximizing the potential of urban spaces below the surface.
Support packages
Write the future of underground urbanism
WHAT'S INCLUDED
Free access to all Future Tracks
Free access to all System Design workshops, co-creation sessions, and demos
A team of System Designers, architects, and visioners by Studio Redesigned
Final report "Underground Urbanism: 50 Signals from the Future"
Final report "Underground Urbanism: Conceptual Futures for the Urban Subsurface"
10 tickets + speaker slot for Urban Undergrounds, Redesigned roundtable
1.000€ credit in Studio Redesigned for future projects
WHAT YOU GET
50+ future signals, future trends, and state-of-the-art insights in underground construction
10+ conceptual outcomes around the future of underground urbanism (design frameworks, digital prototypes, policy recommendations)
Networking opportunities with system architects, designers, and visioners, from over 30 organisations
Strategic positioning and thought leadership within the realm of Underground Urbanism
PARTICIPATION FEE (EXCL.)
EARLY BIRD
4.200 €
15 slots remaining
Ends Sept, 15th
REGULAR
5.600 €
15 slots remaining
Ends Sept, 30th
Advisory board
Broad, cross-industry expertise
Giorgio Orsucci
Giorgio has a 10-year experience as designer at innovation agencies like Board of Innovation and Bundl. He blends design thinking, futures design, and system thinking to investigate the design paradigms and the future trends of broad challenges. He is the founder of Studio Redesigned and track lead of Underground Urbanism, Redesigned.
Robbert Guis
Robbert Guis worked with renowned architectural firms such as BYTR, ANA architecten, and Mecanoo Architecten. He collaborates with the Centrum Ondergronds Bouwen (COB), the tunnelling association of the Netherlands, leading workshops and lectures on future paradigms for the subsurface. Guis also gives lectures at TU Delft and contributes to research centers focused on housing and urban development.
Akhilesh Shisodia
Akhilesh has recently graduated from Tu Delft with a thesis project 'The Subsurface as a Collective Geography (Amsterdam)', which won the Schreuders Study Prize 2023 in the Spatial Quality category at the Centrum Ondergronds Bouwen (COB) congress. He has an holistic perspective on the use of subsurface, blending architectural and urbanistic considerations.
Andrea Fanelli
Strategic Designer at Accenture Song, Andrea Fanelli has an attentive eye for future trends and design paradigms. A passion for abstraction and complexity brings him to redesign large challenges through an holistic lense and a design-driven approach.
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