What if water infrastructure could do more than deliver clean drinking water — what if it could transform economies, support food security, reduce climate migration, and unite communities across borders?

In this 3-part series, Urban Limitrophe explores the story of the TransAfrica Pipeline (TAP) — a visionary project to bring clean, desalinated water across the Sahel through a 7,000-kilometre pipeline powered by renewable energy. Through conversations with co-founders Dr. Rod Tennyson and Dr. Romila Verma, we unpack how water connects to everything: agriculture, innovation, migration, environmental justice, and community resilience.

TAP is more than a pipeline — it’s a call to imagine water systems built with care, innovation, and the future in mind.

Guest: Dr. Rod Tennyson & Dr. Romila Verma

Episode 1: How to Build a Continent-Sized Water System

How do you build a continent-sized water system?

In this episode, we explore what it takes to design a 7,000-kilometre pipeline to bring clean water across one of the driest regions in the world. Co-founders Dr. Rod Tennyson and Dr. Romila Verma share the origin story of the TransAfrica Pipeline (TAP) — a visionary infrastructure project that combines solar-powered desalination, salt recovery, and lightweight materials to deliver sustainable water access across the Sahel. From technical design to big-picture ambition, we dive into how TAP was engineered — and how it could change lives on a continental scale.

Acknowledgements:

This episode is co-supported by the Nurubian, the University of Toronto School of Cities and the Department of Geography and Planning.

About Urban Limitrophe:

Please visit www.urbanlimitrophe.com for all episode show notes, references and guest details.

To access social media, newsletter, and additional projects visit: https://linktr.ee/urbanlimitrophe

Please address any related communication to hello[at]urbanlimitrophe.com

Credits:

Music by Imany Lambropoulos

Podcast concept, development, and design by Alexandra Lambropoulos

What does it mean to rebuild with dignity after disaster strikes?

In this episode of Urban Limitrophe, we speak with architect Omar Degan, founder of DO Architecture and the Fragility Lab. Together, they explore how architecture can be a tool for healing, not just shelter — and how co-designing with communities leads to more just, resilient spaces in the aftermath of crisis.

Omar shares his journey designing in fragile contexts — from post-conflict housing in Somalia to consulting for the UN — and how his work challenges traditional top-down models of humanitarian aid. Instead of quick fixes, his approach centers culture, collaboration, and care.

You’ll learn how DO Architecture uses emergency design to center communities in fragile contexts, and why beauty, dignity, and belonging should never be seen as luxuries — even in disaster recovery.

Whether you're a planner, designer, changemaker, or curious listener, this conversation invites you to rethink how we rebuild, who we build for, and what’s possible when communities lead the way.

Guest: Omar Degan

Acknowledgements:

This episode is co-supported by the Nurubian, the University of Toronto School of Cities and the Department of Geography and Planning.

About Urban Limitrophe:

Please visit www.urbanlimitrophe.com for all episode show notes, references and guest details.

To access our newsletter visit: https://tinyurl.com/ULNewsletter

Please address any related communication to hello[at]urbanlimitrophe.com

Credits:

Music by Imany Lambropoulos

Podcast concept, development, and design by Alexandra Lambropoulos

What do you build when the systems around you fall short?

In Season 2 of Urban Limitrophe, we travel across continents, through cities, and into communities — from the innovation hubs of Botswana to the rural coastlines of Nova Scotia, the medinas of Tunisia to the farmlands of Togo, from Athens to Abidjan.

This season is about community, imagination, innovation, and the power of everyday people to shape the places they call home — in housing, culture, cycling, climate, and beyond.

We’ll hear from architects, artists, activists, and storytellers who are transforming how cities are designed, governed, remembered, and lived in — one idea, one connection, one act of care at a time.

Subscribe now. New episodes every month.

The built environment is a reflection of political decisions. The officials you elect shape the environment around you. So, what happens if people don’t participate in the voting process?

In this episode, we delve into the critical intersection of civic action and urban development with our insightful guest, Dafe Oputu. We’ll explore the urban landscapes of Accra, Ghana; Cotonou, Benin; and Lagos, Nigeria, examining how trust and accountability in municipal governance shape these cities.

We’ll discuss different cities' strategies to encourage public participation and civic action, and why voting is crucial for building better cities. Together we also unpack Africa's obsession with megacities, like Akon City and Eko Atlantic (and how to avoid creating ghost cities).

Guest: Dafe Oputu

Acknowledgements:

This episode is co-sponsored by the University of Toronto School of Cities and the Department of Geography and Planning.

About Urban Limitrophe:

Please visit www.urbanlimitrophe.com for all episode show notes, references and guest details.

To access social media, newsletter, and additional projects visit: https://linktr.ee/urbanlimitrophe

Please address any related communication to hello[at]urbanlimitrophe.com

Credits:

Music by Imany Lambropoulos

Podcast concept, development, and design by Alexandra Lambropoulos

What makes a city truly smart? Or just? The answer lies with the people.

In this episode, we explore the human-centric side of Smart Cities with our guest Titus Kaloki from the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Kenya office. Through their Just Cities Project, Titus is on a mission to make cities both smart and just, leveraging technology to put people at the center of urban planning.

Titus and his team have been leveraging an innovative software called Urban Collective Design Environment (U_CODE) to achieve an 85% participation rate in their Just Cities Project in Nakuru City, Kenya. This process brings together local government, urban planners, and citizens to co-design the future of the city using 3D modelling software.

Join us as we delve into how this approach results in community-informed plans that conform to urban guidelines and zoning while saving time, money, and reducing frustration for all parties involved.

Guest: Titus Kaloki

Acknowledgements:

This episode is co-sponsored by the University of Toronto School of Cities and the Department of Geography and Planning.

About Urban Limitrophe:

• Please visit www.urbanlimitrophe.com for all episode show notes, references, and guest details.
• To access social media, newsletter, and additional projects visit: https://linktr.ee/urbanlimitrophe
• Please address any related communication to hello[at]urbanlimitrophe.com

Credits:

• Music by Imany Lambropoulos
• Podcast concept, development, and design by Alexandra Lambropoulos

What if the true architects of our cities are not the government officials or urban planners, but the communities who live in them? In this episode, we dive deep into a provocative question: When governments fail to provide essential services like water and electricity, and communities step up to fill the gaps, who define the future of urban development?

We journey to Brazil to unravel the story of the 2001 City Statute, a groundbreaking piece of legislation aimed at making cities more equitable. This innovative law, born from decades of activism and aimed at redistributing urban resources, has struggled with implementation challenges. My special guest, Mayara Almeida de Paula, a PhD candidate at the University of Toronto and an expert in urban planning, will share her insights on how race, gender, and urban policies impact the lives of Black women in Brazil and how these factors either support or restrict their right to the city.

Guest: Mayara Almeida de Paula

Acknowledgements:

This episode is co-sponsored by the University of Toronto School of Cities and the Department of Geography and Planning.

About Urban Limitrophe:

Please visit www.urbanlimitrophe.com for all episode show notes and references and guest details.

Instagram & Twitter: @urbanlimitrophe

Subscribe to the newsletter: https://shorturl.at/dKQV9

Please address any related communication to hello[at]urbanlimitrophe.com

Credits:

Music and editing by Imany Lambropoulos

Podcast concept, development, and design by Alexandra Lambropoulos

In this episode, we're headed to Tangier, Morocco. My co-host Naziha Nasrin and I speak with Amine Houari of Think Tanger, a non-profit cultural agency shaping Tangier's development through art, research, and collaboration. Together, we discuss crucial topics such as creative insurgency, planning in suburban contexts in Toronto (Scarborough) and Tangier (Bir Chifa), multicultural approaches to community development, and insights for other cultural planning organizations. Additionally, we offer advice for Western cities planning for diverse cultural contexts.

Key insights from the episode include:

• Planning in multicultural cities and suburbs
• The importance of people-centred practices to urban/suburban development
• Think Tanger's StudioCity program and how it promotes dialogue, arts, city-building, and neighbourhood pride in Tangier
• The foundational elements of Think Tanger's approach to fostering a more inclusive and engaged community
• Exploring the colonial history of Tangier and its impact on the city's culture and built environment
• How Think Tanger uses publications like their magazine MAKAN and their store KIOSK alongside residency programs to support the decolonization of arts and culture in the city
• Crafting inclusive approaches that resonate with the unique cultural and historical context of a city
• Strengthening cultural programming and development through strategic collaborations and financial support
• Inclusive approaches to cultural planning

Guest: Amine Houari of Think Tanger

Co-Hosts: Naziha Nasrin of plazaPOPS

Acknowledgements:

This episode is co-sponsored by the University of Toronto School of Cities and the Department of Geography and Planning.

About Urban Limitrophe:

Please visit www.urbanlimitrophe.com for all episode show notes and references and guest details.

Instagram & Twitter: @urbanlimitrophe

Subscribe to the newsletter: https://shorturl.at/dKQV9

Please address any related communication to hello[at]urbanlimitrophe.com

Credits:

Music and editing by Imany Lambropoulos

Podcast concept, development, and design by Alexandra Lambropoulos

Join me, along with my co-hosts Joycelyn and Erin, as we dive into an insightful conversation with Lanrick Bennett Jr., Toronto's Bicycle Mayor, and the Executive Director of Charlie's FreeWheels. We explore his tenure as a bike mayor and the expansive network of BYCS-appointed mayors, stretching from India to Uganda and beyond.

In this episode, we discuss crucial topics such as Vision Zero and efforts to reduce vehicular-related fatalities in Toronto. We delve into designing inclusive cycling infrastructure and offer advice for those looking to cycle in the city and who want to get involved in making their streets safer for all.

Key insights from the episode include:

• Understanding the significance of inclusive cycling infrastructure
• Exploring how Shaw St has evolved into Toronto's cycling haven
• The importance of political will in creating safer streets
• Ways to actively contribute to advocating for safer streets in your community
• Insights from international transit advocates on Toronto's cycling infrastructure
• What it takes to ensure safer streets for cyclists, pedestrians, and drivers alike
• The global network of Bicycle Mayors and their impact on urban development
• And much more

Guest: Lanrick Bennett Jr., Bicycle Mayor of Toronto & Executive Director of Charlie’s FreeWheels

Co-Hosts: Joycelyn Guan and Erin

Acknowledgements:

This episode is co-sponsored by the University of Toronto School of Cities and the Department of Geography and Planning. 

About Urban Limitrophe:

• Please visit www.urbanlimitrophe.com for all episode show notes and references and guest details. 
• Instagram & Twitter: @urbanlimitrophe 
• Subscribe to the newsletter: https://shorturl.at/dKQV9
• Please address any related communication to hello[at]urbanlimitrophe.com 

Credits: 

• Music by Imany Lambropoulos
• Podcast concept, development, and design by Alexandra Lambropoulos