American Planning Association
Shruti Shankar, AICP, on People-First Mobility Hubs, Mentoring, and the Beautiful Messiness of Cities
What happens when planners and designers don’t try to control every part of a city — and instead make room for people to shape it? In this episode of People Behind the Plans, recorded live at NPC26, APA Editor in Chief Meghan Stromberg talks with Shruti Shankar, AICP, an urban design director and associate principal at Studio One Eleven in Long Beach, California, about mobility, public space, and the messy systems that make cities work. Trained as an architect, working as an urban designer, and certified as a planner, Shruti brings a layered perspective to city making. She explains how mobility hubs can connect people across different modes of transportation, but also why designing the hub itself isn't enough. Shade, lighting, trees, public art, local businesses, and a sense of safety and belonging can determine whether a transportation solution actually works for the people it's meant to serve. The conversation also explores what Los Angeles can learn from preparing for major international events, including the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Shruti reflects on the challenge of coordinating across dozens of jurisdictions, the opportunity to showcase the region's many communities and cultures, and the importance of designing for people rather than simply moving them from one place to another. Shruti also talks about her experience working in India and the U.S. , and how moving between architecture, urban design, and planning has shaped the way she approaches cities. For her, planning can benefit from the iterative mindset of design: testing ideas, learning from feedback, and keeping people — sometimes down to the individual person — at the center of the process. And throughout the conversation is a philosophy that runs through Shruti's work: cities are messy, and that's not necessarily a problem to solve. Sometimes that messiness is what makes them vibrant, unexpected, and joyful. The challenge is knowing when to guide a city — and when to let people take ownership of it. Episode URL: https://planning.org/podcast/shruti-shankar-aicp-on-people-first-mobility-hubs-and-the-beautiful-messiness-of-cities/
