Adam Greenfield

American Urbanist, Best-Selling Technology Author & Senior Urban Fellow at LSE Cities

Adam Greenfield’s Biography:

Adam Greenfield is an American writer, urbanist and critical futurist based in London. He is known for his clear-eyed analysis of how technology shapes everyday life, public space and social behaviour. A sought-after keynote speaker, Adam brings decades of insight from the intersection of design, cities and emerging systems. His most recent and widely discussed achievement is the publication of ‘Lifehouse’ in 2024, a book that sets out a practical vision for resilience, mutual aid and community strength in an age of climate uncertainty.

Adam’s early experiences shaped the depth and range of his work. After graduating cum laude from New York University in 1989, he joined the United States Army and served as a Psychological Operations Specialist in Special Operations Command. That period taught him how messaging spreads and how people respond to influence at scale. When he returned to civilian life, he entered the growing field of information architecture and rose through several roles before becoming Head of Information Architecture at Razorfish in Tokyo. Those years gave him a front-row seat to the rise of the internet and the ways technology rewired human behaviour.

Adam spent the next decade moving across leadership, research and advisory roles. At Nokia headquarters in Helsinki, he became Head of Design Direction for User Interface and Services, shaping the way millions interacted with mobile technology. In 2010, he founded Urbanscale, a design practice focused on networked cities and citizen experience. After relocating to London, he was awarded the inaugural Senior Urban Fellowship at LSE Cities in 2013, where he explored the social and political pressures shaping modern urban environments. Alongside this, he has taught at New York University and the Bartlett School of Architecture at University College London, and has written several influential books, including ‘Everyware’ in 2006, ‘Against the Smart City’ in 2013, and the bestselling ‘Radical Technologies’ in 2017.

Why Hire Adam Greenfield?

People hire Adam because he helps audiences understand the systems driving modern life and the forces that will define the future. His talks explore AI, the climate crisis, social media, disinformation, mass marketing and the behaviour of communities under pressure. These subjects matter to leaders preparing for disruption, making strategic decisions or managing change across large organisations. Adam offers clarity at a time when certainty is rare, and his talks leave audiences better informed and ready to act.

Adam Greenfield’s Career Highlights:

Below showcases Adam Greenfield’s inspirational career highlights throughout the world of climate change and innovation:

• 2025 – Expected completion of PhD in the Cities Programme, London School of Economics
• 2024 – Publication of ‘Lifehouse: Taking Care of Ourselves in a World on Fire’
• 2017 – Publication of ‘Radical Technologies’
• 2013 – Awarded inaugural Senior Urban Fellowship at LSE Cities
• 2010 – Founded Urbanscale, an urban-systems design practice
• 2008 – Appointed Head of Design Direction for User Interface and Services at Nokia
• 2006 – Publication of ‘Everyware: The Dawning Age of Ubiquitous Computing’
• 2000 – Head of Information Architecture, Razorfish Tokyo
• 1995-2000 – Served as Psychological Operations Specialist, US Army Special Operations Command
• 1989 – Graduated cum laude, New York University