Need to Know
19 : 05 : 23

Germany – Vitra Design Museum’s new exhibition, Hot Cities, looks closely at the cities of the Arabic-speaking world and investigates the obstacles posed by the region’s harsh climate. Running until 5 November 2023, the exhibition aims to show how architects can blend traditional styles with modern technologies to tackle future challenges.

Hot Cities, curated by Ahmed and Rashid bin Shabib, presents case studies and examples from 20 Arabic-speaking cities that offer insights into climate change-related questions. The project demonstrates how these cities can thrive in extreme conditions through the adoption of appropriate urban culture. It invites experts to share their knowledge and to foster meaningful dialogue while inspiring fresh perspectives on the future of hot cities.

The show also seeks to create a dictionary of Arab architecture through the lens of climate adaptation. Hot Cities aligns with our Elastic Architecture report, in which we explored how environmental crises have resulted in architects designing adaptive buildings that meet the needs of communities and the planet.

UK – Fluus, a portmanteau word for flush us, has developed a game-changing line of microplastic-free, entirely biodegradable and flushable after-use period products.

According to Fluus, 30% of period products are flushed down the toilet in the UK, which leads to some 3.4 tonnes of microplastics ending up in waterways. The company set out to find a solution to tackle this overlooked issue and created a product that users can flush down the toilet without causing any environmental harm. The proprietary Flushtec technology provides pads with strong absorbent properties but also means the product breaks down into plant fibre and 100% biodegradable materials under water pressure when flushed.

The waste and plastic-free nature of Fluus sets it apart from most competitors by being kinder to the environment while users can avoid the inconvenient situation of finding themselves in a public toilet without a bin and a period product to dispose of. Women’s health is still massively underserved and under-researched, and small but incremental advances like Fluus’s technology are a step forward.

US – An April 2023 poll conducted by Gallup has revealed that 48% of US adults are concerned about the safety of the money they have deposited in banks and other financial institutions. Of those, 19% claim they are very worried and 29% say they are moderately worried.

The poll follows nationwide concerns about banks after the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank in March 2023 and the sale of First Republic Bank to JPMorgan in May 2023. The survey results are similar to what Gallup found when it asked Americans whether they were worried about their money in financial institutions in 2008 following the Global Financial Crisis.

A lack of trust in banks would hit all sectors relying on digital payments and hints at new opportunities for more inclusive financial products and services dedicated to the unbanked – a market we previously analysed in Banking The Unbanked.