Designer.
Urbanist.
Strategist.
Urban Imagination is the work of Francisca Benítez B., an urbanist and designer who works with cities and communities to turn complex urban challenges into creative, people-centered solutions.
Her practice blends strategic design, public space planning, and visual communication, shaped by over a decade of international experience in Latin America, Europe, Africa, and the U.S. She’s led projects on child-friendly mobility, community engagement, and urban transformation with organizations like the Global Designing Cities Initiative (Streets for Kids), Kounkuey Design Initiative, and LISC.
Francisca is a founding member of PlacemakingX and holds degrees in Strategic Design (PUC Chile) and Urban Planning (NYU). Based in Madrid, working globally.
Focus Areas
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Supporting cities and organizations through collaborative processes to transform public spaces and streets.
Projects focus on creating safer, more inclusive, and vibrant environments (from early concept to implementation) grounded in local context and community voices.
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Helping public sector teams and nonprofits think outside the box to solve complex challenges.
Using design thinking to uncover insights, reframe problems, and co-create innovative strategies that put people at the center; turning user needs into practical, impactful solutions.
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Designing tools, workshops, and facilitation strategies that build trust, deepen participation, and strengthen local capacity.
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Partnering with cities to integrate the needs of young children and caregivers into urban planning and policy. This includes creating engagement tools, strategies, and design frameworks that reflect developmental priorities and everyday realities for families.
Events and Media Highlights
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Norman Foster Institute Workshop with Janette Sadik-Khan
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Chamberí schools unite in a School Revolt for International Women's Day
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Engaging Kids in Street Design
Streets for Kids Webinar Series
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Cities Promoting Active and Inclusive Mobility
Global Mobility Call
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From Childhood Needs to Urban Reality
London School of Economics, Van Leer Foundation, Global Designing Cities Initiative
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A bordo de los ‘bicibuses’
Diario El País, Global Designing Cities Initiative
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IX Congress of Educating Cities Portugal
Educating Cities Network, Global Designing Cities Initiative