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Alexander Rotmensz is an urbanist YouTuber with over 40,000 subscribers and millions of views, known for advocating classical architecture and traditional urban design while documenting the devastating legacy of mid-20th century urban renewal on American cities. He launched his channel about three years ago while studying at the University of California, Santa Cruz, and holds a bachelor's degree in Film & Media. He is now pursuing law school, with plans to move beyond the camera and into direct action, whether as a lawyer or real estate developer, in the fight to restore beauty to American cities. Follow Alexander's channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@alexanderrotmensz ====== JOIN OUR ACADEMY: https://theaestheticcity.com/academy/ Join our Substack: https://theaestheticcity.substack.com/ ====== For more information on The Aesthetic City, find our website on https://theaestheticcity.com/  Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@the_aesthetic_city  Follow us on X: https://x.com/_Aesthetic_City  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.aesthetic.city/

In today's episode, professor Branko Mitrovic tells us about the battle to teach classical architecture at NTNU in Trondheim, Norway. Here, one student prompted Branko to start teaching Classical architecture, which started a movement in the university, a study association. Might this be the beginning of a return of the Classical curriculum at architecture schools? Branko Mitrović is a professor of architectural history and theory at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway. He has been involved in the classical movement since the late 1980s. Professor Mitrović has PhDs both in Architecture and Philosophy and has been a recipient of research fellowships from the Harvard University, Canadian Centre for Architecture, the Humboldt Foundation, the National Gallery (Washington DC) and the Clark Art Institute. He is the author of eleven books and has received the Humboldt Research Award for his work in architectural history. -- ====== JOIN OUR ACADEMY: https://theaestheticcity.com/academy/ Join the #1 email list about making better places: https://the-aesthetic-city.kit.com/signup ====== For more information on The Aesthetic City, find our website on https://theaestheticcity.com/ Work with Ruben: https://aestheticcity.consulting  Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@the_aesthetic_city  Follow us on X: https://x.com/_Aesthetic_City  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.aesthetic.city/  Substack: https://theaestheticcity.substack.com/

Michael Diamant is the founder and a leading voice of the global "New Traditional Architecture" movement. His background is in urban sociology, but he sparked the "Architecture Uprising": an  international campaign to replace monotonous modernist buildings with beautiful, human-centered, and sustainable design.  He has successfully shifted architectural discourse in his native Sweden and is a frequent speaker at leading institutions like the University of Notre Dame and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, and his work has been featured in mainstream media like Bloomberg CityLab and Swedish magazine Kvartal, where he has been called "the Swedish John Ruskin." Visit his website https://newtrad.org Follow him on X: https://x.com/michael_diamant Follow him on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaeldiamant Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michael.diamant.10 ====== JOIN OUR COURSE: https://plld.io/go/podcast Join the #1 email list about making better places: https://the-aesthetic-city.kit.com/signup ====== For more information on The Aesthetic City, find our website on https://theaestheticcity.com/ Work with Ruben: https://aestheticcity.consulting  Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@the_aesthetic_city  Follow us on X: https://x.com/_Aesthetic_City  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.aesthetic.city/  Substack: https://theaestheticcity.substack.com/

Timothy Smith is an accomplished architect, a partner at Smith and Taylor Architects, and a leading voice in contemporary classical design based in London. He's a tutor at one of Europe's only classical master's programs at Kingston School of Art and a visiting scholar at the Catholic University of America in Washington D.C. He holds degrees from Edinburgh College of Arts and London Metropolitan University, and is recognized for his work, which seamlessly bridges the gap between historical precedent and modern living. He has worked extensively in the field of traditional urbanism and craftsmanship, and is especially interested in examining elements of tectonic logic and classical proportions. Exploring how these timeless principles can be adapted to solve the architectural challenges of the 21st century. Visit the website of Smith and Taylor Architects: https://www.smithandtaylorllp.com More information about the mArch Unit 6 program: https://www.kingston.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/architecture-arb/riba-part-2-march https://registerarchitecturelandscape.uk/masters-studios/kingston-unit-6-j8nhl ====== JOIN OUR COURSE: https://plld.io/go/podcast Join the #1 email list about making better places: https://the-aesthetic-city.kit.com/signup ====== For more information on The Aesthetic City, find our website on https://theaestheticcity.com/ Work with Ruben: https://aestheticcity.consulting  Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@the_aesthetic_city  Follow us on X: https://x.com/_Aesthetic_City  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.aesthetic.city/  Substack: https://theaestheticcity.substack.com/

Will McCollum is a designer who worked alongside celebrated urbanist Lew Oliver for 10 years to create meaningful and beautiful communities across the United States. He currently resides in Cambridge, Massachusetts where he has opened his own firm. He also serves as the president of Citymakers Collective and as a board member of the Congress for the New Urbanism in New England. I've had the pleasure to visit the summer studio organized by Citymakers Collective in Charleston last summer, which was a huge success. Applications for 2026 summer school are open until early march, visit the website of Citymakers Collective for more information and to apply: https://citymakerscollective.org Connect with Will: https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-mccollum-6965a066/ Follow Citymakers Collective on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/citymakerscollective/?hl=en ==== JOIN OUR COURSE: https://www.aestheticcity.academy/products/courses/aesthetic-city-academy Join the #1 email list about making better places: https://the-aesthetic-city.kit.com/signup ====== For more information on The Aesthetic City, find our website on https://theaestheticcity.com/  Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@the_aesthetic_city  Follow us on X: https://x.com/_Aesthetic_City  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.aesthetic.city/  Substack: https://theaestheticcity.substack.com/

Ann Sussman is an architect, author and researcher interested in how buildings influence our behavior. She's president of the Human Architecture and Planning Institute, and also known from the books Cognitive Architecture and Urban Experience + Design. She recently co-authored the Handbook of Neuroscience and the Built Environment, which recently launched. In this interview, Ruben and Ann talk about a variety of topics regarding the brain, the importance of beauty, the experience of our built environment through our senses and the need for a different kind of design that takes human perception into account. ==== JOIN OUR COURSE: https://www.aestheticcity.academy/products/courses/aesthetic-city-academy Join the #1 email list about making better places: https://the-aesthetic-city.kit.com/signup ====== For more information on The Aesthetic City, find our website on https://theaestheticcity.com/  Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@the_aesthetic_city  Follow us on X: https://x.com/_Aesthetic_City  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.aesthetic.city/  Substack: https://theaestheticcity.substack.com/

Alexandros Lavdas is a is neuroscientist, a tenured Senior Researcher at Eurac Research, Bolzano, Italy and head of Psychology at Webster University, Athens Campus, Greece. He is also member of the board of directors of the Human Architecture and Planning Institute. He holds a PhD from University College London (UCL) and has worked at UCL and the Hellenic Pasteur Institute in Athens.  He has worked extensively in nervous system development and regeneration, and is especially interested in examining elements of visual organized complexity, such as those found in nature and pre-modern architecture, and exploring their physiological and neural correlates. ========  JOIN OUR COURSE: https://www.aestheticcity.academy/products/courses/aesthetic-city-academy Join the #1 email list about making better places: https://the-aesthetic-city.kit.com/signup ====== For more information on The Aesthetic City, find our website on https://theaestheticcity.com/  Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@the_aesthetic_city  Follow us on X: https://x.com/_Aesthetic_City  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.aesthetic.city/  Substack: https://theaestheticcity.substack.com/

Jon Jon is an avid urbanist, national speaker, and content creator passionate about decoding what makes spaces great. His TikTok channels have amassed over 8.6 million likes and 406k followers. His website: https://www.thehappyurbanist.city Follow him on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jonjon.jpeg ========  JOIN OUR COURSE: https://www.aestheticcity.academy/products/courses/aesthetic-city-academy Join the #1 email list about making better places: https://the-aesthetic-city.kit.com/signup ====== For more information on The Aesthetic City, find our website on https://theaestheticcity.com/  Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@the_aesthetic_city  Follow us on X: https://x.com/_Aesthetic_City  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.aesthetic.city/  Substack: https://theaestheticcity.substack.com/

Diana Trushell is the founder of The Design Professor, an online education platform for creative professionals who are interested in examine design through the lens of psychology, nature and history. Diana is currently a lecturer at both Columbia University and Parsons School of Design where she teaches Circular Economy and Sustainable Systems. Previously, she worked as a Design Strategist wherein she managed and consulted on projects ranging from corporate strategy, human-centered design and impact entrepreneurship. Earlier in her career, Diana practiced architecture and taught courses in sustainable design and architecture, systems thinking and material culture. Her work has been published in Architectural Record, The Wall Street Journal and Dezeen, among others. Her signature course, Psychology of Space, is currently open for enrollment until August 1st. In it, you’ll learn how to apply evidence-based design principles to create environments that support well-being, creativity and focus, among many other cognitive benefits. This course equips you to make more informed design decisions by evaluating cognitive and emotional responses to space, and aligning design strategy with real psychological insight—so you can create spaces that truly support the people who use them. If you’d like to learn more about it, you can check it out at the-design-professor.lpages.co/the-aesthetic-city She’s also provided us a special promo code: THEAESTHETICCITY which you can use until enrollment closes on August 1st. Follow The Design Professor on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.design.professor/ Visit her website: https://thedesignprofessor.com ========  For more information on The Aesthetic City, find our website on https://theaestheticcity.com/ We launched our course, join it until August 1: https://aesthetic-city-academy.thinkific.com/products/courses/aesthetic-city-academy Love what we do? Become a patron! With your help we can grow this platform even further, make more content and hopefully achieve real, lasting impact for more beautiful cities worldwide.  Visit our Patreon page here: https://www.patreon.com/the_aesthetic_city?fan_landing=true  Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@the_aesthetic_city  Follow us on X: https://x.com/_Aesthetic_City  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.aesthetic.city/  Substack: https://theaestheticcity.substack.com/

In this special episode, Bart Urban interviews Ruben about the launch of their new course: The Aesthetic City Academy! They discuss: What the course is all aboutWho's it for (and who it isn't for)How it should help fill a gap in education, by teaching a about the timeless principles of good urban designThe problems with current architectural education What we can expect from this course in the futureand much, much more! Want access? Use promo code 'podcast10' to get 10% off! Click the following link for more information: https://aesthetic-city-academy.thinkific.com/products/courses/aesthetic-city-academy ========  For more information on The Aesthetic City, find our website on https://theaestheticcity.com/ Love what we do? Become a patron! With your help we can grow this platform even further, make more content and hopefully achieve real, lasting impact for more beautiful cities worldwide.  Visit our Patreon page here: https://www.patreon.com/the_aesthetic_city?fan_landing=true  Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@the_aesthetic_city  Follow us on X: https://x.com/_Aesthetic_City  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.aesthetic.city/  Substack: https://theaestheticcity.substack.com/

Aaron Lubeck is a designer, builder, and urbanist who’s spent over two decades shaping sustainable, walkable, and affordable communities, with a deep-rooted passion for the US South. He’s the founder of Southern Urbanism, a platform dedicated to reimagining city-building below the Mason-Dixon line, and the voice behind onHousing, a podcast and Substack where he tackles housing policy, zoning reform, and the art of incremental development. A restoration contractor by trade, he’s led groundbreaking projects like Durham’s first net-zero-energy home and pushed for zoning changes to bring back "missing middle" housing. His book Green Restorations reflects his commitment to blending historic preservation with modern sustainability, while his work with Southern Urbanism keeps him at the forefront of a regional renaissance in place-making. Find more information about Southern Urbanism and OnHousing here: https://www.southernurbanism.org/ https://www.aaronlubeck.com/ ========  For more information on The Aesthetic City, find our website on https://theaestheticcity.com/ We launched our course: https://aesthetic-city-academy.thinkific.com/products/courses/aesthetic-city-academy Love what we do? Become a patron! With your help we can grow this platform even further, make more content and hopefully achieve real, lasting impact for more beautiful cities worldwide.  Visit our Patreon page here: https://www.patreon.com/the_aesthetic_city?fan_landing=true  Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@the_aesthetic_city  Follow us on X: https://x.com/_Aesthetic_City  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.aesthetic.city/  Substack: https://theaestheticcity.substack.com/

Chuck Marohn is a civil engineer, urban planner, and the founder of StrongTowns: an organization that has been shaking up the world of planning, development, and local governance with one powerful idea: that many of our cities, especially in North America, are financially insolvent by design. Through his books, lectures, and relentless advocacy, he’s exposed the hidden fragility of car-centric growth and championed a new, bottom-up approach to building places that are financially strong, resilient, and deeply human. Visit the StrongTowns website here: https://www.strongtowns.org Follow them on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@strongtowns Follow StrongTowns on X: https://x.com/StrongTowns Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/strong_towns/ ========  For more information on The Aesthetic City, find our website on https://theaestheticcity.com/ Love what we do? Become a patron! With your help we can grow this platform even further, make more content and hopefully achieve real, lasting impact for more beautiful cities worldwide.  Visit our Patreon page here: https://www.patreon.com/the_aesthetic_city?fan_landing=true We are making an online course about urban planning! Join the waitlist here: https://the-aesthetic-city.kit.com/a2d41beb6f  Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@the_aesthetic_city  Follow us on X: https://x.com/_Aesthetic_City  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.aesthetic.city/  Substack: https://theaestheticcity.substack.com/

Kevin Klinkenberg is an urban designer, planner, and architect from Kansas City with over two decades of experience in creating walkable, human-centered communities. He’s the mind behind The Messy City, a blog and podcast where he explores the complexities of urban development, advocating for adaptability, local initiative, and practical solutions over rigid, top-down planning.  He previously served as Executive Director of the Savannah Development and Renewal Authority, where he contributed to a downtown master plan for Savannah, Georgia.  A long-time advocate for New Urbanism, and writer of the book ‘Why I Walk’, he has worked across the U.S. blending idealism with pragmatism. Subscribe to Kevin's substack: https://kevinklinkenberg.substack.com Follow Kevin on X: https://x.com/kevinklink ========  For more information on The Aesthetic City, find our website on https://theaestheticcity.com/ Love what we do? Become a patron! With your help we can grow this platform even further, make more content and hopefully achieve real, lasting impact for more beautiful cities worldwide.  Visit our Patreon page here: https://www.patreon.com/the_aesthetic_city?fan_landing=true We are making an online course about urban planning! Join the waitlist here: https://www.aesthetic.city/the-academy  Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@the_aesthetic_city  Follow us on X: https://x.com/_Aesthetic_City  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.aesthetic.city/  Substack: https://theaestheticcity.substack.com/

Sabin Howard is a renowned sculptor and author, born in New York, who has emerged as a leading voice in modern classical sculpture. Trained in traditional techniques, he mastered the human form with the precision of the old masters, dedicating his career to large-scale public art. A co-author of The Art of Life, Howard now shares his expertise and critiques of contemporary art through various platforms. His most notable work, A Soldier’s Journey—a 60-foot-long, 25-ton bronze relief—anchors the National World War I Memorial in Washington, D.C., honoring soldiers’ experiences while championing timeless artistry and forgotten history. Visit his website: https://sabinhoward.com  Follow Sabin on X: https://x.com/SabinHoward  ========  For more information on The Aesthetic City, find our website on https://theaestheticcity.com/   Love what we do? Become a patron! With your help we can grow this platform even further, make more content and hopefully achieve real, lasting impact for more beautiful cities worldwide.  Visit our Patreon page here: https://www.patreon.com/the_aesthetic_city?fan_landing=true We are making an online course about urban planning! Join the waitlist here: https://theaestheticcity.com/aesthetic-city-academy/   Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@the_aesthetic_city  Follow us on X: https://x.com/_Aesthetic_City  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.aesthetic.city/  Substack: https://theaestheticcity.substack.com/  Get access to the Aesthetic City Knowledge Base: https://theaestheticcity.lemonsqueezy.com/checkout/buy/18809486-2532-4d91-90fd-f5c62775adec

Guy Courtois is a strategist-turned-visionary who is leading a true urban renaissance in France and worldwide, promoting more beautiful, livable cities. He worked with fashion consortium LVMH and later founded his own consultancy firm. Based in Meudon, France, he’s also a passionate art collector, tied to the impressive Collection Courtois. Today, he’s channeling his energy into making our cities more beautiful and livable. Recently he organized a successful congress in Le Plessis-Robinson, bringing together a large number of mayors, developers, and architects to guide France into a new urban renaissance. Find more info about his art collection here: https://www.collectioncourtois.com ========  For more information on The Aesthetic City, find our website on https://theaestheticcity.com/   Love what we do? Become a patron! With your help we can grow this platform even further, make more content and hopefully achieve real, lasting impact for more beautiful cities worldwide.  Visit our Patreon page here: https://www.patreon.com/the_aesthetic_city?fan_landing=true We are making an online course about urban planning! Join the waitlist here: https://theaestheticcity.com/aesthetic-city-academy/   Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@the_aesthetic_city  Follow us on X: https://x.com/_Aesthetic_City  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.aesthetic.city/  Substack: https://theaestheticcity.substack.com/