When Team Omusubi took the stage at the 2023 ULI Asia Pacific Summit in Singapore, they were applauded not just for their winning entry in a prestigious urban development competition. The team of four students from Waseda University in Tokyo also had the unique honor of being the first-ever winners of the Asia Pacific ULI Hines Student Competition.

A 100-year-old correctional facility in Whittier, California, becomes a new master-planned community.

Innovative technology platforms already are helping many owners operate apartment buildings more efficiently and improve services for tenants. But experts say that is just the start of a revolution that could transform the multifamily segment.

Ethnic and cultural diversity, combined with a reputation as a welcoming place for immigrants, has long been a strength of the Greater Toronto Area—and it has also influenced the city’s development, panelists cautioned at ULI’s 2023 Spring Meeting.

In the heart of Toronto, a revolution is unfolding underground. Beneath the bustling streets and towering skyscrapers, a network of pipes is tackling the climate crisis. The story of Toronto’s Deep Lake Water Cooling system and its potential to reshape the approach to sustainable development was told during a session at the ULI Spring Meeting in Toronto.

Imagine a city where every corner is a testament to its diverse inhabitants and where every public space is a welcoming stage for cultural exchange. This vision was brought to life during the 2023 ULI Spring Meeting panel titled “The Welcoming City: Encouraging Diversity and Inclusion through Creative Placemaking.”

In a report that emphasized upward mobility and inclusion in Indiana’s second largest city, a ULI Advisory Services panel for the Electric Works redevelopment project in Fort Wayne, Indiana, focused on the economic importance of being a destination with an “open tent.” That means having real and stated plans that emphasize the inclusion of the entire region.

ULI has announced 20 finalists for the 2023 ULI Americas Awards for Excellence, one of the most prestigious awards programs in the real estate industry. This year’s finalists include 19 developments in the United States and one in Canada. Three additional projects from the United States received special mentions.

Yvonne Yeung, CEO of SDG Strategies, has served as the ULI Curtis Infrastructure Fellow in 2023. During her fellowship, Yeung created a conversation tool to help leaders form actionable strategies to build 15-Minute Communities.

In April, ULI Young Leaders participated in a webinar that addressed the current and future impact of artificial intelligence on the real estate industry and the obstacles and challenges to its adoption.

To ensure the success of the program, ULI has enlisted a group of expert coaches, each with unique skills and backgrounds, to support the cohort of eight participating teams across Asia, Europe and the U.S. These coaches will help ensure that local teams stay focused on ways to integrate art into the fabric of the community and within real estate development. The coaches, all leaders in their respective fields, come from diverse backgrounds in business, arts and culture, real estate consulting, and nonprofit leadership.

ULI’s Art in Place program has expanded with the addition of ULI France and ULI Germany, bringing the total number of participating district and national councils to eight. The program aims to connect artists, developers, and community voices to promote creative placemaking, which integrates art, culture, and creativity as levers of community revitalization.