This eighth volume of London Essays – which Capco is proud to support – explores some of the 21st-century challenges posed by social division, demographic shifts, the march of technology, and the imperative of protecting the environment for universal wellbeing.

Together with our partners at Centre for London, Capco has been thinking deeply about good growth in the capital: for jobs and skills; transport and infrastructure; housing and homes; inclusion; and to maintain an authentic sense of place. We consider the city through the twin lenses of systems and empathy: systems to make everything work well, empathy that recognises people’s real lives as the city’s heartbeat. The harmony of systems and empathy is celebrated in Capco’s two great estates in Covent Garden and the new district for London that is emerging at Earls Court.

In autumn 2017, Centre for London and Capco will share insights from the recent Growing Well: London 2040 workshop series, which has crowdsourced future ideas for London from over 100 distinguished experts. Our collaboration on Futures asks important and urgent questions. It addresses the consequences of growth, asking what kind of city we want to live in and how we can make it work for the good of all. In the light of recent tragic events, these are urgent and sobering questions for us all.