urbanNext is a multiplatform initiative launched in 2015 by Actar Publishers, a company with offices in New York and Barcelona at Carrer Roca i Batlle, 2, in the 08023 postal code. Promoted by this publisher with over 30 years in architecture, photography, and design books, urbanNext develops and disseminates research on contemporary urban environments through print, digital, audiovisual, and event formats.
The platform operates as a design thinking hub, drawing contributions from a global network of architects, urban planners, engineers, economists, sociologists, ecologists, anthropologists, investors, artists, journalists, professors, and citizens. Its editor-in-chief, Ricardo Devesa, an architect, oversees content in 11 formats including essays, projects, lectures, and photo surveys, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches to city challenges beyond isolated buildings.
Core activities span a think tank for debating urban complexities, content distribution via books and online channels, and visibility through curated exhibitions. Topics cover energy and sustainability, emerging practices, territory and mobility, and southern coexistences, with recent focus on African cities via the African Cities Institute, partnering with entities like Lausanne Polytechnic on sanitation in Tanzania.
Examples include analysis of Plaça de les Glòries transformation under Barcelona's 22@ plan since 2000, historical profiles like Palo Alto Barcelona's 1875 textile factory origins, and the Mercè project, where machine learning from over 3,000 citizen-rated streets determined 48 percent of Barcelona's roads as highly livable, aiding data-driven urban policies. Estimated annual revenue stands at 5 million dollars, positioning it within architecture and planning sectors in Catalunya.