Utopian Hours Festival Expands to Rotterdam for 10th Anniversary

Utopian Hours, the annual city-making festival produced by Stratosferica, celebrates its tenth anniversary with a first-ever edition outside Italy in Rotterdam on May 28-29, followed by a second edition in Turin on October 16-17. Cofounder Luca Ballarini reflects on the festival's origins in 2014 as a collective experiment to reimagine Turin's narrative, supported by a bank foundation grant that led to a three-day public event. The festival aims to make urban discourse accessible, showcasing real projects from cities like Minneapolis, New York, and Lisbon. Over ten years, it has brought 500 examples of activist and entrepreneurial undertakings, influencing local decisionmakers and enhancing Turin's international profile. Speakers include Andrea D’Antrassi (MAD Architects), Khensani Jurczok-de Klerk (Matri-Archi(tecture)), Scott Kratz (11th Street Bridge Project), Matt Grunbaum (Field Operations), and designer Liam Young. Roundtables will address future-proof freshwater systems, decarbonizing cities, and gender-inclusive public space. Ballarini notes potential future hosts like New York, London, Shenzhen, and Saudi Arabian cities, but emphasizes Rotterdam's genuine engagement with urban innovation. The festival seeks to bridge public and private spheres, providing a platform for honest dialogue on urban regeneration.