The global roll-out of the 7 Wonders of Future Cities continued in Dubai this week, with campaign Chairman Jean-Paul de la Fuente presenting “Designing for the Future City” at the IPS Congress 2026, taking place from 7–9 September at the famous Dubai World Trade Centre. The 22nd edition of IPS describes itself as the world’s leading property convention, alongside the AIM Congress focussed on investment, both bringing together the international real estate, investment, technology and urban-development community.
The presentation explored the transition from simply connected cities to intelligent, adaptive and increasingly context-aware urban environments, while arguing that technology alone cannot define a successful future city. Smart infrastructure, AI, data, mobility and digital systems need ultimately to improve the everyday experience of the people who live, work and participate in cities.
“The future city needs to be smart enough to adapt and human enough to belong,” said Jean-Paul de la Fuente, Chairman of 7 Wonders of Future Cities. “But there is another essential element: people need to understand, participate in and feel part of the transformation. We see participation itself as a form of design infrastructure – because lasting urban success is much easier to achieve when people trust, support and champion the decisions being made around them.”
The presentation addressed themes central to the IPS Future Cities and Design agenda, including context-aware urbanism, mobility-as-a-service, digital infrastructure as a public utility, adaptive public spaces and digital placemaking. It also connected these ideas with the wider 7 Wonders of Future Cities campaign, which is identifying and celebrating urban developments that can represent new standards for the future of urban life.
De la Fuente added: “Smart-city technology should make life simpler, safer, healthier and more inclusive – not more complicated. Human-centric design gives those systems purpose, while public participation turns an urban vision into a shared cause. When governments, communities, investors, businesses, media and citizens can all engage with and champion a place, that is when a development can move beyond being simply a project and become a recognised city brand with enduring value.”
Public participation is at the heart of the New7Wonders methodology. Previous New7Wonders campaigns, including the New 7 Wonders of the World and New 7 Wonders of Nature, have generated more than 600 million votes worldwide. For 7 Wonders of Future Cities, global voting begins on 31 October 2026 – World Cities Day – with the final seven to be officially revealed on World Cities Day, 31 October 2027.
“Designing for the future city is ultimately about designing for people,” concluded Jean-Paul de la Fuente. “And the New7Wonders idea takes that one important step further: inviting people themselves to participate, engage and choose the urban visions they want to represent our shared future.”
Website: www.7wondersfc.com
Contact: news@7wondersfc.com
