E34: Tactical Urbanism in a War Zone: The Power of Citizen-Led Action with Mikael Colville-Andersen

What can a city learn about resilience when people are forced to redesign how they live? Mikael Colville-Andersen, urban designer, filmmaker and host of the TV Show 'The Life-Sized City', joins host Tanisha Raffiuddin on Talking Place to explore the tactical urbanism projects he delivered in Ukraine during the full-scale war. From coordinating thousands of donated bicycles as humanitarian aid to transforming Kyiv's Kontraktova Square with volunteers, Mikael shares how cities and communities can respond when conventional systems are under extraordinary pressure. The conversation goes beyond the immediate realities of war to examine what other cities can learn from Ukraine. Mikael reflects on the role of simple, analogue systems, from generators keeping local businesses running to trams repurposed to carry water, and how bicycle infrastructure can become part of evacuation planning. He also challenges cities to experiment through temporary projects, question decades of car-centric planning and give citizens more room to shape the places they live. Topics Covered How tactical urbanism transformed Kyiv's Kontraktova Square during the war What Ukrainian cities can teach us about resilience and analogue systems  Why cities need to experiment through temporary pilot projects  How bicycles became humanitarian and evacuation infrastructure in Ukraine  Why car-centric planning needs to be challenged  How citizens can play a bigger role in changing their cities  If you enjoyed this conversation, please like, subscribe and share.About our Guest Mikael Colville-Andersen is an urban designer, filmmaker, photographer, TV host and author known for his work exploring how cities can become better places for people. He has worked in more than 100 cities and is the host of the global TV series The Life-Sized City, which explores urban life through the people and ideas shaping cities around the world. From 2022 to 2025, Mikael was based in Kyiv, Ukraine, where he worked on tactical urbanism projects during the full-scale war, coordinated donated bicycles as humanitarian aid and developed projects including therapy gardens, community spaces and cycling strategies. His work combines urban design, storytelling and citizen-led action to challenge how we think about the cities we live in. Join the Conversation Who is your city built for? What would it take to make it work for everyone? Share your thoughts with us on Instagram or LinkedIn @TalkingPlacePodcast using #TalkingPlacePodcast Links & Mentions Mikael Colville-Andersen: Official website Mikael Colville-Andersen in Ukraine: Ukraine projects and activities TORV Kyiv: World's Largest Tactical Urbanism Project Bikes4Ukraine Crowdfunding Website: https://fundrazr.com/Bikes4Ukraine  The Life-Sized City: https://www.colville-andersen.com/lifesizedcity  Support the showTo learn more about host Tanisha Raffiuddin:LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/tanisharaffiuddin/Website: www.conceptculture.coInstagram: @tanisha.rrTo learn more about Talking Place:LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/talking-place-podcastWebsite: www.conceptculture.co/talking-place-podcastInstagram: @talkingplacepodcastBluesky: @talkingplaceTikTok: @talkingplacepodcastTo learn more about Concept Culture:LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/concept-culture-ukWebsite: www.conceptculture.coSign Up to Our Newsletter — mailchi.mp/conceptculture/newslettersignup