Rooted Futures: the Wild Cornish City

This project plans to forecast the future of the 10,000 cities across the globe -- as though they have survived climate change and social discord and gone on to flourish anew. Today, we highlight the future of the British town of Falmouth.

By 2100, Falmouth, Cornwall, can become a super-ecofriendly, pedestrianised, greened and community-centred city by taking inspiration from two iconic Cornish plant species: Cornish heath and thrift. These plants are not only symbols of Cornwall’s unique natural heritage, but also models for resilience, adaptability and beauty in challenging environments. By weaving their qualities into urban design, transport, housing and social life, Falmouth can grow into a city that feels wild yet welcoming, modern yet deeply rooted in place.

Cornish heath, with its rich purple flowers and ability to thrive in poor soils, can inspire a city that works with nature rather than against it. By 2100, former roads and car parks could be replaced with pedestrian green corridors planted with native heathland species, supporting pollinators and cooling the city naturally. Green roofs, walls and pocket parks filled with Cornish heath would soften buildings and blur the boundary between town and countryside. Just as the plant survives harsh coastal winds, Falmouth’s architecture could be designed for climate resilience, using local materials and passive energy systems that reduce emissions and protect residents from extreme weather.

Thrift, or sea pink, clings to cliffs and coastlines, forming dense cushions that protect soil from erosion. This quality can shape Falmouth’s future waterfront and public spaces. By 2100, the town’s edges could be fully pedestrianised, with traffic kept to the outskirts and replaced by walkways, cycle routes and nature-rich coastal paths. Thrift-inspired planting along streets and harbours would stabilise land, manage rainwater and create year-round colour. These shared spaces would encourage slow movement, chance encounters and outdoor life, strengthening community bonds while cutting pollution and noise.

Together, Cornish heath and thrift suggest a wilder, more inclusive vision of urban life. Community gardens, urban commons and rewilded hillsides within walking distance of every home could become places where people grow food, learn local ecology and care for shared land. Schools, housing cooperatives and cultural spaces could be surrounded by native planting, making nature part of everyday life rather than something visited occasionally. Like these plants, the community would be interconnected, resilient and shaped by cooperation rather than competition.

By the year 2100, Falmouth has the potential to be a model green city that shows how small coastal towns can lead global change. Rooted in the lessons of Cornish heath and thrift, it can become pedestrian-first, climate-positive and joyfully wild, without losing its human scale or sense of belonging. In this future, nature is not decoration but foundation, and the city grows not by spreading outward, but by deepening its relationship with the land, the sea and the people who call it home.