All businesses have a story. Ours begins trying to cross Biscayne Boulevard on a Tuesday afternoon.
With our two young girls in tow, we walked to our local park for an afternoon break so we could unwind with the waterfront breeze. Though we had crossed this street before, something stood out this time: we couldn’t cross Biscayne in the cycle of one traffic light. We could only get halfway to the center median, where we waited as the evening traffic rushed by. It was hard not to feel like we were taking our lives into our own hands.
Irvans and our girls.
So many of our streets are like this, and sometimes worse. Once you walk them, it’s plain to see they are designed for cars and not people.
During this time, I (Marta) was studying for a master’s in urban planning, learning about the building blocks of great cities, how good transit and public spaces bring people together and create the spontaneous collisions that lead to innovation and build stronger communities. We knew that Miami could be different and wanted to have an impact on this city we love. So we set out to build a consulting firm that would connect the dots and change the process.
Over the past eight years, Urban Impact Lab has helped its partners and clients digest complex urban challenges into solutions that build better cities, focusing on a range of topics from transit to community events, public spaces and financial inclusion.
Today, we wanted to share how we make change happen. We have found that each project merits its own unique strategy, so we have organized our approach into five “labs” that give our team the essential tools and processes they need to tackle even the most wicked problems.
They are:
Incubation
Miami is a great testing ground for new concepts. Our team has worked through all phases of the development process, from idea to sustainable growth, and can help you effectively grow your project for measurable impact.
Data and Research
Research helps our clients and team gain a fundamental understanding of where the biggest opportunities and challenges are. But we don’t stop at the numbers. We gather insights directly from our community that, when coupled with data, can help you design the strategies behind transformative projects.
Engagement
We believe a city can work for all its residents, but only if residents build it together. We put our deep community experience to work for our partners and clients in order to foster meaningful community engagement that translates into lasting impact.
Activation
We can help you produce events with a purpose, ones that show the potential of our public spaces and how they can transform a community.
Strategic Communications
Getting traction for your work takes a concerted communications strategy. We can help you achieve the change you seek through strategic communications.
You can see case studies for each here.
Our work is guided by the belief that we go further together. We not only love this city but we are passionate about bringing all of its potential to life. And most of all, we are thankful to you for being on this journey with us.
Marta and Irvans
Co-Founders
Urban Impact Lab