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Cities of the Future

Cities account for about 80% of global GDP, making the future of cities a priority for governments and businesses. BCG partners with governments and businesses to ensure cities of the future are designed to thrive.

Before COVID-19, trends in urbanization, climate change, and technology were shaping an increasingly complex landscape for cities around the world. The pandemic has accelerated preexisting trends and brought new ones to life. These trends have the potential to shape even better, more livable cities of the future; for example, by creating hyperlocal environments on the basis of mixed-use real estate, changing mobility habits, accelerating digital-first services, and spurring the move to sustainable living and resilient infrastructure.

Public and business leaders need to work together to rethink city development in light of these new trends, shifting their focus from improving systems to improving residents’ experiences.

Our Approach to the Future of Cities

Resident centricity will define cities of the future. This perspective puts the expectations and needs of people at the fore and guides strategy and master planning, community management, and the design of services. Residents’ positive experiences also help build resilience in the face of challenges—such as the COVID-19 pandemic—while driving advocacy and enhancing cities’ competitiveness.

Our expertise is based on an innovative, resident-centric approach that we’ve used to help city clients around the world. While residents remain at the core of our strategy and problem solving, our team is equipped to deliver a variety of solutions—such as planning for smart cities of the future—across governments, businesses, and institutions.

Our Clients' Success on Cities of the Future

Examples of our cities-of-the-future consulting expertise include the following:

Our Solutions for Smart Cities

In the course of our cities-of-the-future consulting work, we tap the expertise of BCG's Global Center for the Future of Cities and the Centre for Public Impact.


Explore Our Insights on Cities of the Future

Countering the Curse of Zombie Buildings Hero Rectangle
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Countering the Curse of Zombie Buildings

As demand for office space plummets, building owners, lenders, and city officials must work together creatively to avoid a downward spiral in property values and local economies.

An Ecosystem Approach for City Governance - Rectangle
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An Ecosystem Approach for City Governance

Ecosystems are popular in business because they foster innovation, address complexity, scale quickly, and adapt to changing environments. They can do the same for cities.

Meet Our Future of Cities Leaders

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