Looking back on our successful neext European Talk – City Reimagined: Retrofitting for a Resilient Future
For the first time in our event series we are on our way to Dublin. The city brings a new perspective, new people as well as new opportunities and challenges to our network. Dublin itself represents a compelling blend of historical charm and modern ambition making it an ideal case where new strategies for urban transformation and applied methods of retrofitting can be observed on a large scale. This city is tackling pressing challenges from retrofitting its heritage-rich building stock to addressing a growing housing crisis all while striving for the sustainable development of a resilient urban infrastructure.
During our event we will focus on best practices in adapting historical and residential spaces to modern needs – how to respond to challenges such as increasing demands for energy and resilient infrastructure.
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Reviewing our neext European Talk in Dublin – City Reimagined: Retrofitting for a Resilient Future
After successfully completing our 2025 Kick-off in the beautiful city of Dublin, we can now officially reflect back on yet another inspiring edition of the neext European Talk initiative, where we explored the urgent theme of “City Reimagined: Retrofitting for a Resilient Future.” Across two dynamic days, we connected various urban innovators, policymakers, and community leaders to examine solutions to or the question how cities can become more resilient, inclusive, and future-ready.
Our journey began with a purposeful venue choice: the youth and community centre in Bluebell, setting the tone for a grounded and human-centric conversation. Dublin City Council’s Thomas Coombes opened the dialogue by sharing real concerns from the community, creating an open and trustful space for exchange. Visionaries like Deborah Smyth showcased tangible solutions such as Net Zero Modular Homes turning urban challenges into actionable opportunities.
Day 1 continued with a walking tour through the modular housing site followed by a deep dive into financial barriers and innovative solutions for large-scale retrofitting, led by Peter Griffith (BABLE Smart Cities). The day concluded with a spirited “Pints & Partnerships” session in the heart of Dublin, fostering informal dialogue among participants over a lovely dinner.
On Day 2, we moved into the tech-forward environment of Smart Docklands and the CONNECT Centre at Trinity College, where we explored the intersection of digital infrastructure and sustainable urban design. Our expert roundtable tackled everything from energy grids and urban density to data-driven urban sensing and next-gen connectivity—with insights from thought leaders like Pat Barry (IGBC), Matthias Wunderlich (Urban Initiatives), Boris Tomas (Trinity College Dublin), Stephen Prendiville (Deloitte), Geraldine Moloney (ESB), and Joe Seymour (National Transport Authority).
Key takeaways from Dublin:
The faster you go, the less you connect
The average train in Europe goes 60 km/h and in China they are working on 1000 km/h. At some point Europe just stopped caring to accelerate progress.
It all comes down to value – profit – cost.
This edition of the neext European Talk reaffirmed the importance of bridging top-down innovation with bottom-up needs. We extend our heartfelt thanks to all speakers, hosts, and participants who made this dialogue so powerful and personal.
As we continue our journey, we look forward to our next stop in Brussels, June 11–12, to keep exploring how we can shape a better urban future—together.