Through research and facilitation, I support the transition toward cities that are just, regenerative, and deeply connected — to nature, to community, and to place

Marie Urfels

URBAN GEOGRAPHER, RESEARCHER, FACILITATOR

THEMATIC EXPERTISE ────

I.

Regenerative Urbanism

Cities are living systems, deeply interconnected with nature, culture and community. I explore how they can shift from extractive patterns toward regenerative ones — restoring ecosystems, strengthening communities and building long-term resilience.

II.

Spatial Justice

Whose voices are recognized and heard in urban decision making processes? Who has access to what, where and why? I examine the structural inequities embedded in how cities are planned and built, and how policy, design and participation can redistribute power and opportunity more fairly.

III.

Systems Thinking

Cities are complex, interconnected systems — yet too often addressed in silos. I use systems thinking to help organisations and communities move beyond fragmented approaches and understand the whole picture, opening space for more transformative and just solutions.

CURRENT WORK ────

01

Urban Matters

Contributing to research, strategy and proposal development on regenerative and socially just urban initiatives.

02

SI Cities Hub

Co-designing and facilitating multi-stakeholder learning processes on systems thinking and urban innovation for practitioners across sectors.

03

New Urban Voices

Collaborating on projects that explore and introduce new ideas for how the urban can be reimagined and transformed.

COLLABORATIONS & ENGAGEMENTS

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS ────

BOOK CHAPTER

A city for and by its residents

Copenhagen 2.0 - A new way for the capital — New Urban Voices

BOOK CHAPTER - Forthcoming

One lawn at a time: Turning underused lawns into community gardens

Sustainable Climate Resilience: Incremental Pathways for Cities and Communities. — Springer Nature

MANIFESTO - Forthcoming

Water as a Living Commons: Principles for Water Justice and Democratic Futures

Manifesto for the Right City — TU Delft

ABOUT ────

I'm an urban geographer based in Malmö, Sweden, with experience across academia, NGOs and the international impact sector, including the UN. I've built expertise in research, facilitation and knowledge sharing, with a focus on urban governance, housing, urban transitions, sustainable ocean city development and sustainability — always with a strong emphasis on equity and spatial justice.

I believe cities can be nurturing places of care and connection. Through ReGenUrban I seek to research, share and collaborate on regenerative urban futures — and work towards making that vision a reality.

Latest Posts on ReGenUrban

──── LETS'S CONNECT ────

Whether you're working on a project, looking for a

collaborator, or simply want to connect —

I'd love to hear from you.

Want to collaborate

or exchange ideas?