superwien podcast

In the first episode of the Henni+Milli Podcast we are talking to Sithara Pathirana and Marian Rudhart about green and blue public spaces as the backbone of an inclusive city and how artistic interventions shape the everyday lives in Vienna. The conversation centers on who actually gets to shape and feel welcome in shared urban space, blending Sithara’s arts/culture angle — the 2026 Klima Biennale edition “Unspeakable Worlds” had a focus week on the Danube Canal — with Marian’s grassroots push for public swimming access.
Please sign the Sithara'S petition of the Rights for the Danube as a Co-Citizen! (in german)
About our guests:
Sithara Pathirana is the festival director of the Klima Biennale Wien. The 2026 edition, "Unspeakable Worlds," put art in public space at the centre, with a specific focus week on the Danube Canal.
Marian Rudhart is from Schwimmverein Donaukanal, an association and grassroots initiative advocating to make Vienna's Donaukanal a place where people can safely swim and enjoy the water as part of everyday city life, for our conversation about green and blue spaces.
Henni+milli is a temporary, consumer-free public "placemaking" project and community testing ground located along the Donaukanal in Vienna, specifically named after the Henriette-Fahrbach-Promenade and Emilie-Turecek-Promenade near the Franzensbrücke. This project was implemented in the framework of the FFG funded DUT InclusiveCity Project and implemented with the funding of the MA45/City of Vienna.
This podcast was produced in a cooperation with Placemaking Austria and superwien.
Hosts: Vivian Monteiro Malta & Roland Krebs

In this episode, host Milagros Hurtig sits down with Eva Kail, a pioneering urban planner and feminist thinker whose work has reshaped how cities can better serve everyone. Together, they explore Eva's first steps in gender planning, the fundamental role of gender in urban design, how Vienna pioneered gender-sensitive urban planning, the Oberes Hausfeld urban development and about tools and advice for inclusive urban planning.
Through a candid and insightful conversation, Eva and Milagros unpack what it means to design cities with empathy, from gender-sensitive planning to the politics of public space. This episode of superwien podcast invites listeners to look more closely at the streets they walk every day and imagine how thoughtful design can create safer, more equitable, and more joyful urban futures.
Learn more about Eva's work: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/17/realestate/vienna-aspern-seestadt-gender.html
Learn more about superwien's Oberes Hausfeld design: https://www.wien.gv.at/pdf/ma21/planen-im-dialog-oberes-hausfeld.pdf
#urbanism #gender #feministplanning #architecture #inclusion #inclusivity

In this episode, we take a deep dive into regional planning and the role of cycling in strengthening urban–rural linkages. Today we are joined by Shelley Bontje from the Dutch Cycling Embassy, who was also the keynote speaker at the econnecting final conference in Faenza.
Together, we explore how cycling can move beyond municipal borders to become a powerful driver of regional connectivity. Drawing on Dutch experience and European practice, Shelley shares insights on cross-municipal cooperation, 30-minute territories, and the integration of cycling with public transport and regional hubs. From city-to-city bike networks to revitalising smaller towns and villages, this conversation highlights how cycling can help shape more connected, resilient, and inclusive regions.
Learn more about the Dutch Cycling Embassy: https://dutchcycling.nl
Learn more about econnecting:  https://urbact.eu/networks/econnecting
#urbanism #mobility #URBACT #SmartCity #Cycling #SustainableMobility

In this episode, we sit down with Nadia Carboni, Head of Economic Development and Smart City of the Unione della Romagna Faentina in Italy. Nadia shares the story behind one of the region’s most celebrated initiatives: Bike to Work—a program that has successfully encouraged large numbers of residents to choose the bicycle over the car for their daily commute.
We explore why Bike to Work became such a powerful mobiliser, how it shifted mobility habits, and what it teaches us about designing policies that actually work for people. Nadia also reflects on the econnecting journey, emphasising the crucial role of testing actions, experimenting in real contexts, and learning directly from communities.
If you're curious about smart-city strategies, behaviour change, and practical approaches to sustainable mobility, this episode offers inspiring insights from one of Italy’s standout examples.
Learn more about the Bike-to-Work program: https://urbact.eu/good-practices/bike-work
Learn more about econnecting: https://urbact.eu/networks/econnecting
#urbanism #mobility #URBACT #SmartCity #Cycling #SustainableMobility

In this episode, we’re joined by Catherine Gall, Executive Director of the ETI Research Laboratory (Entrepreneurship, Territory, Innovation) at the Sorbonne, founded by Professors Carlos Moreno, Didier Chabaud, and Florent Pratlong. The ETI Lab is known for challenging traditional urban planning models and exploring innovative approaches to city and regional development. We discuss the concept of 30-minute Territories as an integrated regional development strategy, what it takes to meet the needs of people living outside major urban centers, and how to bridge the gap between academic research and real-world challenges. We also dive into the increasingly debated 15-minute city model—exploring why, despite its popularity, it has sparked controversy and doesn’t resonate with everyone.
More infos about Catherine Galls work: https://chaire-eti.org/en/
Find out more about econnecting: https://urbact.eu/networks/econnecting
#urbanism #mobility #URBACT