Citizen One Podcast – Episode 1 Summary

Title: Worldbuilding the Street Corner of the Future: The Fight Club of UrbanismGuests: Alex McDowell & Olivier Pron

Welcome to the premiere episode of Citizen One, an urbanNext original podcast series where we explore the minds shaping the cities of tomorrow. Host Douglas Stuart McDaniel is joined by Alex McDowell, pioneering production designer and world-building expert, and Olivier Pron, leading concept artist and futurist.

The discussion begins by tracing McDowell’s career evolution from designing immersive film worlds (Minority Report, Fight Club, Man of Steel) to applying cinematic world-building methodologies to real-world urban projects like NEOM and the American Society of Civil Engineers’ Future World Vision. He discusses how futuristic design principles translate into tangible urban solutions, using Minority Report and Fight Club as case studies in how Hollywood’s predictive storytelling has influenced real-world technologies.

Pron shares his journey from crafting visually iconic cinematic worlds (Doctor Strange, Guardians of the Galaxy) to redefining real-world architecture and urban landscapes in Saudi Arabia. His contributions to NEOM’s Line and Hidden Marina showcase how digital visualization and immersive design techniques push the limits of urban innovation.

Key Themes Explored:

✅ World-Building as a Design Tool – How Hollywood’s approach to storytelling and world-building is now influencing architecture and urban planning.✅ NEOM’s Vision and Constraints – The unique challenges and opportunities presented by Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, and how designers are navigating a blank canvas at an unprecedented scale.✅ From Science Fiction to Future Reality – The parallels between cinematic world-building and urban master planning, and how predictive storytelling informs next-generation city design.✅ Provocation and Constraints in Design – How tension, constraints, and visionary leadership (whether from Hollywood directors or Saudi leadership) drive innovation in both industries.✅ The Power of Visualization – Why narrative architects are essential in translating complex urban plans into immersive, experiential design, ensuring cities are built with human-centric experiences in mind.✅ AI, Digital Twins & Immersive Design – How AI-driven simulations, VR, and game engines like Unreal are revolutionizing architecture and construction by allowing designers to prototype cities before they’re built.

The conversation underscores the fusion of storytelling, data, and design in shaping the cities of the future. McDowell and Pron emphasize the importance of narrative in urban design, where a strong vision must be translated into human-centered environments that inspire, adapt, and evolve.

As our host and guests put it, “The revolution won’t just be televised—it will be immersive, 5D, and gamified.”

00:00 Introduction

01:31 Alex McDowell's Journey in World Building

10:51 Olivier Pron's Perspective on World Building

14:16 The Role of Vision and Constraints in Design

22:22 Al Bayda Project: A Case Study in Urban Visual Language

29:10 NEOM: The Future of Urban Design

32:45 The Human Experience and Its Implications

34:05 Narrative as a Framework for Vision

35:59 Designing Within Constraints

38:47 The Role of Collaboration in Design

41:10 Vision and Consistency in Project Development

43:04 The Intersection of Film and Architecture

44:45 Pushing the Boundaries of Production

47:32 The Role of Narrative Architects

49:31 The Unique Nature of Film Production

52:13 Bridging the Gap Between Industries

57:20 The Importance of 3D Visualization

01:03:54 Data-Driven Design and User Experience

01:14:35 Urban Development and Real-Time Data Simulation

01:15:32 Vision 2030 and Mythical Tomorrow

01:18:43 Cultural Transformation and Architectural Vision

01:22:46 Technology as a User Experience

01:27:28 Visual Storytelling in Urban Design

01:33:48 The Importance of Point of View in Design

01:38:40 Storytelling as a Tool for Future Industries