About Katrina Johnston-Zimmerman

Katrina Johnston-Zimmerman is an urban anthropologist and director of THINK.urban, a consulting firm focused on spurring urban change through the lens of anthropology. She has recently launched the Women Led Cities Initiative which aims to increase women’s representation in the shaping and management of our cities.

Consider Anthropology in Your Next Urban Design Project

When applied to today’s cities in a non-academic context, urban anthropology provides a kind of “outsider’s perspective” to the dominant fields of urban planning and design. An anthropologist’s brain is one that views the current age through the long arc of humanity; they see the comparison between the best and worst of the human condition, and can balance human needs with human desire accordingly. This leads to an acceptance (and appreciation) of cultural contexts, with communication and co-creation at its core.