About us
We are an urban experience design studio based in Tokyo and Kyoto. Our activities, both domestic and international, range from research, planning, and editing in the fields of architecture and urban development, to organizing exhibitions and developing educational programs, all with the aim of enriching the everyday life of "cities" beyond the borders of countries and fields. Our platform 「forcities.org」collects ideas on how to make cities more interesting i.e. urbanism, and is building a network with urbanists in Japan and abroad. So far, we have held "Urbanist School," a school for learning skills necessary for urbanists, and "for Cities Week," an urban festival, in Tokyo, Nairobi, and Cairo, and Ho Chi Minh City. We practice the training for young talents and offer proposals for future sustainable urban development while getting involved in the local community.
for Cities Week 2025: Chiang Mai
May 26, 2025 - June 1, 2025for Cities Week is back! This time, we head to Chiang Mai, Thailand—a city where rich traditions meet a thriving creative scene. 🇹🇭
The theme is "Tropical" Urbanism(s) -
As cities worldwide experience increasing tropicalization due to climate change, how can we foster comfortable and sustainable urban living? Drawing from Thailand’s indigenous wisdom and everyday practices, we will explore new...
Urbanist Meet-up on Islamabad
October 4, 2025 - October 4, 2025For this meet-up, Saman shared with us urban insights on Islamabad, Pakistan, focusing on its history and rapid development.
We work across many formats around the theme of urbanism—from organizing workshops and creating city guides and media, to conducting collective research with our own resources. We also take on client projects. Depending on who you are and what you’re interested in, there are many ways to get involved or collaborate with us!
Connect with Us
Learn Skills
Travel Together
Use Our Tools
Collaborate With Us
for Cities conducts collaborative research with practitioners, designers, and researchers around the world to explore the overlooked and the emerging in urban life. Our goal is to build a global community of urbanists who share, question, and reimagine what cities can be — beyond established theories and dominant narratives.
Each month, a guest urbanist will curate urban trends and pressing issues, sharing links, podcasts, videos, and fresh perspectives that go beyond the mainstream. Together, these contributions will not only spark dialogue but also build a shared archive of insights.
By the end of the year, we’ll bring it all together in the form of an alternative urban dictionary 📚—a collective resource that expands how we think and talk about cities.
Stay tuned, and join us on the journey!
