Name: How would you design your dream city?
Uploaded: 2026-10-21T14:31:42Z
Duration: 8 min 38 s
Description: Urban planner James Rojas has led hundreds of workshops where participants creatively design their ideal communities with small objects — and he's noticed that people of every age, income and background build strikingly similar places. Through play and storytelling, he shows how we can use our childhood memories and imaginations to shape the places we live and love.

Urban planner James Rojas has led hundreds of workshops where participants creatively design their ideal communities with small objects — and he's noticed that people of every age, income and background build strikingly similar places. Through play and storytelling, he shows how we can use our childhood memories and imaginations to shape the places we live and love.

How would you design your dream city?

Imagination and hands-on play help people of all backgrounds envision cities filled with connection and joy. In workshops using recycled objects, participants consistently create walkable neighborhoods, public spaces, and nature, regardless of age or income. Childhood memories guide these designs, revealing that people crave shared experiences and beauty, not just infrastructure. When planning begins with play, communities move from passive input to active ownership.

Play Unlocks Humanity’s Deepest Values In City Design

Playful, hands-on workshops reveal that people from all backgrounds imagine cities filled with parks, community spaces, and close relationships. When participants build their dream cities using simple objects, they consistently prioritize connection, nature, and shared experiences over wealth or efficiency. These creative sessions spark empathy and collaboration, turning passive residents into active designers who shape places they truly love.