Photo by Ryan Lester for Architecture Sarasota.

On February 11, Architecture Sarasota hosted Gil Penalosa as part of their lecture series,  Downtown Sarasota: Beyond Our Borders. Penalosa is a prominent urbanist and a leading advocate for creating cities that serve all people, with a focus on sustainability and inclusivity. Below is an excerpt from the full Q&A interview that will appear in the May/June 2025 issue of SRQ Magazine.

SRQ: Your lecture was titled Cities For Everyone. How can Sarasota work toward being a more inclusive and equitable city?

Penalosa: If cities are good for children, they’re good for everyone. A city where a child on a tricycle or an older person in a wheelchair can safely and joyfully go anywhere is a good neighborhood. Unfortunately, few neighborhoods in North America meet this simple standard. Twenty years ago, I started a movement in Toronto called 8 80 Cities. The idea is simple: what if every part of the city, from parks to libraries, was designed to be great for both an 8-year-old and an 80-year-old? We need to stop designing cities as if everyone is 30 and athletic. The movement urges us to consider the most vulnerable, including people with disabilities, those from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds, and the economically disadvantaged. Sarasota, with a median age of 55, has an aging population, many of whom live in houses that are too big and expensive. What if the city allowed these homeowners to split their homes, with city hall providing a one-stop shop to navigate the process? This would create opportunities for both aging residents and younger people to live in the city. I advocate for equality in quality of life, not income. Regardless of income, everyone should have access to good schools, libraries, sidewalks, and bike lanes. That’s how we can make a great city like Sarasota, even better.

Photo by Ryan Lester for Architecture Sarasota.

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