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.
I'm passionate about cities because...they bring together complexity, creativity, and community. They offer endless chances to rethink how we move, connect, and belong.
My current favorite public space is…Calle de Fuencarral in Madrid. On weekends it transforms into a living room for the city. Skaters, strollers, teenagers, dogs, grandmas, bubble artists, and live music bands all sharing the same stretch of pavement. It’s chaotic, joyful… and it works.
The superpower people don’t expect from me is…I create automated spreadsheets that not only work like magic, but also look beautiful, even in Excel.
If I weren’t working in urbanism, I’d be…an astronaut. I’ve always been fascinated by outer space.
Public Speaking and Media Highlights
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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