CSU Flagship 2026: Regenerative Communities Summit

REGENERATIVE COMMUNITIES SUMMIT

UNITED NATIONS HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Conference Room 2

Tuesday, July 21, 2026 | 3 PM–6 PM

Join us on July 21st for Regenerative Communities Summit at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. Our flagship conference will explore the potential for Regenerative Design thinking to reposition the built environment’s place within the context of social, economic, and ecological communities.

The panels will focus on:

• Evolution of Regenerative Design Thinking, the role of culture and knowledge in practice
• How multi-disciplinary Regenerative Design teams are uniquely positioned to create impact at the community scale
• Redefinition of the timescale for Regenerative Design interventions from short-term to future-forward multi-generational benefit.

Opening Remarks

Yasemin Kologlu, President, Consortium for Sustainable Urbanization

Panel 1 - will focus on the current state of practice for Regenerative Design - including interpretation, current practices, history and evolution of the movement through examples or approaches that give more than they take from across the globe. Why this approach matters more than ever in the built environment, and how regenerative practices are an immense opportunity to create net-positive impact for people and the planet.

Participants

Moderator: Yasemin Kologlu, CSU President, Principal & Regenerative Design Director at HKS

• Mark Gardner, President, American Institute of Architects NY
• Frances Bronet, President, Pratt Institute
• H.E.Karen Ong, Deputy Permanent Representative of Singapore to UN

Panel 2 - will focus on the future of Regenerative Design and its potential to impact cities and communities across the globe through the lens of culture, traditional and indigenous knowledge.  What does it mean to design with culture first, with materials, rituals and knowledge that was developed over millenia? How does it influence our practices, policies and priorities across the world? Panelists include Regenerative Designers, urban planners, ecologists and international policy makers.

Participants

• Lori Ferris, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Built Buildings Lab
• Tony Montalto, Chief Design Officer, HKS

Closing remarks: CSU President Yasemin Kologlu

Learning objectives:

1. Discuss the evolution and current application of regenerative design principles in the built environment, including how regenerative approaches create net-positive social, economic, and ecological outcomes for communities.
2. Evaluate the role of multidisciplinary collaboration in regenerative design, identifying how architects, planners, ecologists, policymakers, and community stakeholders can work together to achieve meaningful impact at the community scale.
3. Examine the influence of culture, traditional knowledge, and Indigenous wisdom on regenerative design practices, and assess how culturally responsive approaches can inform future planning, policy, and development decisions.
4. Understand strategies for designing with a long-term, intergenerational perspective, exploring how regenerative interventions can support resilient, equitable, and thriving communities while advancing global housing and sustainable development goals.

This event is sponsored by: UN-Habitat, The Permanent Mission of Singapore to the UN & HKS

*Please note: By registering for and attending this event, participants consent to the capture and use of photographs, audio recordings, and video recordings for event documentation, promotional, educational, and communications purposes.

**Please also note: In the event that United Nations scheduling priorities require, the conference may be rescheduled to a later date.

***Please arrive 30 mintues prior to event to allow time to pick up UN passes from CSU personnel at the UN Visitors Entrance (46th Street & 1st Avenue) and security check. Please bring a valid photo I.D.

This event supports the following related UN Resolutions:

-UNGA A/RES/78/172 – “The right to adequate housing for all, as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living, without discrimination”

-UNGA A/RES/79/214 – Requests UN-Habitat to continue to support countries in the implementation of the New Urban Agenda with a strategic focus on adequate housing

-UNHA Resolution 2/7 (HSP/HA.2/Res.7) – “Adequate housing for all”