Around the world, campaigners, cities, institutions and governments are declaring a state of emergency in response to climate change. In this unprecedented moment, a question for architects and urban practitioners is cast into relief: how should architecture respond in this time of ecological emergency? How can we drive the transition to an economy that minimizes waste? What is the architect’s role in reshaping culture in the face of environmental limits?

This summit brings together designers, activists and citizens to consider the path ahead. Much new architecture is fundamentally at odds with our planet’s limits, reliant upon huge material extractions and constant emissions. The government estimates that construction accounts for almost 47 per cent of total UK emissions. Radical proposals proposed at this Barbican event could inform how we design our buildings and cities in the face of climate change.