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Artwork for Challenger Cities

Challenger Cities

Iain Montgomery
Toronto
Urban Planning
Public Transit
Public Transport
Urbanism
Housing
Urban Development
Transportation
London
Urban Design
Montreal
Community Engagement
Paris
Parking
Copenhagen
Urban Transportation
Healthcare
Youth Financial Awareness
Housing Crisis
Urban Living

Iain Montgomery of Now or Never Ventures interviews urbanists, creatives, transit and development types to explore how cities can punch above their weight and create distinctive new futures outside of the tired playbooks.

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes95Founded2 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
DesignSociety & CultureArtsPlaces & Travel

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Artwork for Challenger Cities

Latest Episodes

You cannot build a humane, serendipitous city with teams who are transactional, risk-averse and don't really know themselves. It's not my usual territory, and it's a tough argument to have with the logical, rational, "serious" types who populate engi... more

Giacomo Biraghi has spent fifteen years and two thousand interviews trying to answer one question: is there really a distinctive European way of making a city? His answer, after all that fieldwork, is a cheerful and slightly heretical no — what actua... more

In this spirit of being the world's most eclectic podcast about cities and places, this episode is a bit random. Which is good, because it's with Matt Ballantine and he's written a book, called Random with Nick Drage.

Some might say 120 short storie... more

This is an episode about a big, ambitious idea. Which is why people are quick to label it as crazy. But Britain, like many developed nations has a housing crisis. The country simply doesn't build enough good homes for the people who want to live ther... more

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Recent Guests

Matt Ballantine
Author of Random, urbanist/educator
Author; Writer of Random
Episode: Challenger Cities EP91: Expanding Your Luck Surface Area with Matt Ballantine
Shiv Malik
Founder of Forest City, journalist
Forest City / Albion City Development Corporation
Episode: Challenger Cities EP90: It Only Sounds Mad Because We Think Small with Shiv Malik
Gil Penalosa
Urbanist, advocate for walkable cities
Penalosa & Associates (in episode context)
Episode: Challenger Cities EP89: To Do, Not Just Be with Gil Penalosa
Alicia Pederson
Advocate and thinker around courtyard urbanism
Independent urbanist/author
Episode: Challenger Cities EP88: The Neighbourhood is the Amenity with Alicia Pederson
Mark Salsberg
Transit and rail expert, co-founder of Traccs
Traccs (Transit and Rail)
Episode: Challenger Cities EP87: Bringing Sexy Back to Transit with Mark Salsberg and Jonathan English
Jonathan English
Historian of infrastructure and transit, writer
Infrastory / Substack contributor
Episode: Challenger Cities EP87: Bringing Sexy Back to Transit with Mark Salsberg and Jonathan English
Bern Grush
Co-author of The End of Driving, standards expert on autonomous vehicle orchestration
Author; standards advocate
Episode: Challenger Cities EP86: How the Robocars Meet the Curb with Bern Grush
Michael Schabas
Rail transportation expert with extensive project experience
Independent rail consultant
Episode: Challenger Cities EP85: Canada Needs a Railway Architect with Michael Schabas
Richard Fisher
Founder of Future Travel Studio; rail, transport and mobility innovator
Future Travel Studio
Episode: Challenger Cities EP84: The De-Risking Industrial Complex with Richard Fisher

Host

Iain Montgomery
Host of Challenger Cities

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 20 ratings
  • Countries come & go, cities endure

    Love Iain’s breadth and interview style.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Acorrn
    Canada5 months ago
  • Top Notch

    Look forward to every episode

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Marshdogg
    Canada5 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Great insights into urbanism and public spaces from thoughtful guests.
Listeners appreciate the host's breadth and interview style.
High-quality guests and practical storytelling stand out for sponsors and guests alike.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#50
Canada/Arts/Design
Apple Podcasts
#95
Sweden/Arts/Design
Apple Podcasts
#127
Spain/Arts/Design
Apple Podcasts
#137
Denmark/Arts/Design
Apple Podcasts
#189
Poland/Arts/Design
Apple Podcasts
#210
Brazil/Arts/Design

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Challenger Cities EP83: A Little Piece of Switzerland in the Derbyshire Hills
Q: What does success look like for Mini Switzerland in Hope Valley?
Success is framed as delivering a set of transport outcomes—hourly services, integrated ticketing and timetabling, clear wayfinding, and a measurable improvement in end-to-end journeys—rather than chasing a single target number, so that data can guide further expansion.
Challenger Cities EP82: The Purpose is Not the Function with Sam Peart
Q: What is the key shift you're trying to drive in how projects are framed from the start?
The shift is to separate the purpose from the function of a project and to start with place analysis that considers impact beyond the boundary, which guides better decisions and collaborations.
Challenger Cities EP82: The Purpose is Not the Function with Sam Peart
Q: How did you end up in a sustainability role that spans engineering, government, and design?
Sam describes a career path from Arup through public sector roles into Hassell, emphasizing a pattern of moving between problem-solving, design, and governance to understand how different organizations influence place.
Challenger Cities EP78: Saying Yes More with Jen Angel
Q: If you had a magic wand, what would you do with it to accelerate urbanism and infrastructure?
Jen would create conditions that let decision-makers say yes to innovative ideas from a wide range of sources, allowing experimentation and rapid implementation of collaborative, multi-stakeholder solutions.
Challenger Cities EP78: Saying Yes More with Jen Angel
Q: Give me the short version of what's the Evergreen Conference? Why should people be there? What would they get from it?
Jen describes the conference as a gathering that blends grassroots and policy perspectives, emphasizes interactive experiences in the ravines and public spaces, and showcases a diverse group of practitioners to foster collaboration and practical ideas for vibrant cities.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
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Frequently Asked Questions About Challenger Cities

What is Challenger Cities about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A forward-thinking show that explores how cities can reinvent themselves beyond traditional planning playbooks. Conversations thread through urban design, public spaces, transportation, governance, and community engagement, often emphasizing systems thinking, sustainability, and long-term impact over quick wins. Guests include architects, planners, educators, and developers who share practical stories from real projects, from repurposing infrastructure to nurturing place-based economies. The podcast stands out for its mix of critique, ambition, and hands-on insight, offering listeners concrete ideas for shaping livable, resilient cities while highlighting the people and processes that drive transformative urban outcomes.

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How many listeners does Challenger Cities get?

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What are the audience demographics for Challenger Cities?

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How many subscribers and views does Challenger Cities have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Challenger Cities has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Challenger Cities?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Challenger Cities:

1. The Strong Towns Podcast
2. 99% Invisible
3. The Prof G Pod with Scott Galloway
4. Pivot
5. The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart

How many episodes of Challenger Cities are there?

Challenger Cities launched 2 years ago and published 95 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Challenger Cities?

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Where can I see ratings and reviews for Challenger Cities?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Challenger Cities from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Challenger Cities?

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What guests have appeared on Challenger Cities?

Recent guests on Challenger Cities include:

1. Matt Ballantine
2. Shiv Malik
3. Gil Penalosa
4. Alicia Pederson
5. Mark Salsberg
6. Jonathan English
7. Bern Grush
8. Michael Schabas

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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