Urban Affairs was founded by Henk Bouwman, an urbanist focused on long-term change in metropolitan regions, and in areas that are often overlooked: intermediary cities, towns and extensive territories facing structural change whilst limited in their institutional capacities.

 

Trained as an architect and urbanist, Henk established his first practice in 1998, later merging with HKB Stedenbouwkundigen (Rotterdam–Groningen). From 2016 to 2025, he served as Secretary-General of METREX, the European network of metropolitan regions and areas, contributing to European debates on metropolitan development and organising 17 international conferences.

 

Urban Affairs builds on this experience and founded the Learning Cities Platform to support strategic reflection, capacity-building and co-learning between cities and regions facing similar challenges.

 

Henk’s work focuses on places of connection, where urban change intersects with major infrastructure and transport investments. He has particular expertise in rail-based urban development, including High Speed Rail (HS2) research for the Independent Transport Commission, the UK Rail 2065 scenario study, and the development of the Utrecht Station District (2000-2014).

 

Alongside professional practice, Henk lectured in Amsterdam and Tilburg and previously served as Director of the Academy of Urbanism in London. He holds an MSc in Architecture and Urbanism from Delft University of Technology and is active in European urban, transport and research networks (Academy of Urbnanism, EURA).