AllMovie

Documentary filmmaker Gary Hustwit completes his so-called "Design film trilogy" (which began with Helvetica and continued with Objectified) with this upbeat, visually inventive look at the way cities around the world are designed, and the efforts being made to make urban living more functional. As urban populations explode on every continent, the quest to ensure that everyone has a high quality of living becomes increasingly difficult. There are many contributors to the design of a city, and from the architect to the average citizen, everyone's contributions play a part in shaping the metropolitan landscape. By traveling the globe and speaking with a wide variety of subjects ranging from city planners to politicians to artists and architects, Hustwit explores the innovations being made in such crucial areas as public transportation, safety, and even food supply.