Co-creating the future of cities.

See Our Work
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Cities Reimagined helps leaders diagnose and solve problems in urban places. Our work is focused on addressing systemic challenges in mid-size cities that prevent economic growth, social mobility, and human connection.

A young woman with long hair smiling and carrying a backpack, standing on a designated bike lane in a busy city street with tall buildings and cars passing by.
A brown arrow with a loop in its tail, pointing upward and to the right.

Services

  • Diagnose a problem and develop a brief.

    Using a mix of analytical tools and discussions with subject matter experts, we dive deep to diagnose the problem you are working to solve. Once we’ve identified the problem, we work closely with you to develop a concise brief that outlines practical steps forward.

  • Perform intensive research and brainstorm solutions.

    Research and insight gathering allows us to deeply understand the people we are designing for. During this phase, we conduct user interviews, observation sessions, and facilitate workshops to capture user ideas and feedback. This approach provides detailed insights into their needs and challenges, guiding the development of innovative and user-centered solutions.

  • Develop a prototype and build a coalition.

    Prototyping turns innovative ideas into tangible models, allowing us to test and iterate on concepts in real-time. Through sketches, digital models, or functional mock-ups, we rapidly refine concepts based on real user feedback. This approach ensures the final product is designed to meet user needs and exceed expectations.

  • Pilot the solution and document findings.

    Pilots allow us to test a solution on a small scale before full launch. We design and manage a pilot program, carefully selecting a representative group of end users to test the product. We gather data on performance, functionality, and user satisfaction. Using this data, we make adjustments to the solution to improve performance and better meet the needs of users.

  • Half Day + Full Day Group Facilitation

    Our team of certified facilitators run engaging workshops, planning meetings, and retreats, all tailored to your organization’s unique needs. We work with you to set clear goals and make sure every activity moves you closer to achieving them. Whether you’re looking to spark new ideas, strengthen your team, or set a clear direction, we’re here to make it happen in a straightforward, supportive way.

Get in Touch

What We Don’t Do:

We don’t extract community input without a purpose.

If it doesn’t inform decisions, we won’t ask for it.

We don’t write traditional strategic plans.

We focus on designing practical systems, services, and experiences, not long reports that sit on a shelf.

We don’t take on projects where the solution is already decided.

We co-create solutions with clients and communities, starting from a place of inquiry.

“The Cities Reimagined team is everything you want in a working partner: empathetic, meticulous, and confident. We brought Alex in to facilitate a group of 140 cross-industry leaders. From the beginning, they understood the complexity of the stakeholders and guided the room in co-creating and collaboration. However, the most important aspect of Cities Reimagined is my complete trust in them as a team. Hard to find and they bring it every time.”

Kelly Kang, Song Foundation

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Our Clients

Logo of Song Foundation with red background and white text arranged in a square.
Black and white logo of Arts Midwest featuring a stylized bridge with a bird shape and the words 'Arts Midwest' to the right.
Logo for the Bernard van Leer Foundation featuring a black background, geometric shapes with colors blue, green, yellow, red, and white, and the foundation's name written below.
Illustration of a stylized human figure kneeling with one arm raised, holding a light or spark, and the other arm reaching out, with a cityscape background. Below the figure is a shield-shaped emblem with the text "City of Detroit."
A stylized cloud with a speech bubble containing three dots.
Logo for Rocket Community Fund featuring the word 'ROCKET' with a red horseshoe shape replacing the letter 'O', and the words 'Community Fund' underneath in black.
Text that reads 'TOGETHER FOR SAFER ROADS' with a green and gray color scheme, including a transportation icon in the 'O' of 'ROADS'.
United Way logo with a stylized hand holding a person surrounded by concentric rainbow-like arcs.
Logo of the Gilber Family Foundation featuring a large stylized letter G and black text

FAQs

  • Service design is the practice of intentionally shaping how people experience a service, from front-line interactions to behind-the-scenes systems. We use service design to uncover root problems, align stakeholders, and prototype solutions that make public services more human, effective, and equitable.

  • We offer three ways to work together: project-based partnerships, ongoing retainers, and focused one-day workshops. Whether you're tackling a complex challenge or just need a clarity boost, we’ll scope the right approach to meet your goals, timeline, and capacity.

  • You'll work directly with an experienced team who comes prepared and ready to guide and support. We typically start with a kickoff to align on goals, then move through a structured process that may include research, facilitation, design, or strategy—depending on the engagement. You'll get regular check-ins with your dedicated project manager, clear deliverables, and practical tools you can use well beyond the project.

  • We partner with philanthropy, family offices, government agencies, nonprofits, and private-sector teams looking to make a civic impact. Most of our clients are tackling complex urban challenges and want support translating big ideas into practical, people-centered solutions.

Vision

We imagine a future where public systems are thoughtfully designed with communities — centering dignity, trust, and the lived experience of everyday people.

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Contact Us

Whether you’re in the beginning stages of thinking about what you need or are ready to start the work, we would love to chat about your project.

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