Schedule - Urban Living Festival 2025

22-23 September, 2025 9/22/2025 3:01:05 PM 9/23/2025 3:01:21 PM Europe/London ULF The leading industry news resource; industry awards and international b2b conference and exhibitions for the sector London TBC International Hospitality Media info@internationalhospitality.media

Mary Ward House, LONDON LONDON

Festival Schedule 2025

The region's only investment and leadership conference for urban innovators at the cutting edge of contemporary hospitality and real estate.

14:00 - 17:00

'A peek behind the curtain' property tours - limited places

Exclusive Property Tours: Experience first hand some of the most exciting properties and developments in the King's Cross area of London. Immerse yourself in the city's dynamic real estate and hospitality landscape and witness innovation in action on our curated walking tour of some of the best hospitality and living sector properties

Property 1: Information coming soon

Property 2: Information coming soon

Property 3: Information coming soon

Directions:

Information coming soon

A sign-up form will been sent to all confirmed ticket holders.

18:00 - 20:00

Drinks reception and networking

Join us as lots of hospitality and real estate industry professionals across the urban living landscape converge.

Enjoy a selection of beer, wine, and delicious nibbles in a relaxed and vibrant setting.

There will be plenty of networking opportunities with lots of hospitality and real estate leaders, including IHM's Editor-in-Chief, George Sell, Editor, URBAN LIVING NEWS and Serviced Apartment News ; Eloise Hanson, Editor, Boutique Hotel News and Paul Stevens, Editor, ShortTermRentalz.com, over a drink or two - an evening not to be missed!

Information on venue location coming soon.

Go To The Next Day

08:30 - 09:20

Breakfast and Networking

Enjoy a light breakfast and chance to catch up with industry colleagues, before the agenda for the day begins.

MAIN STAGE : Welcome

- George Sell, Editor-in-chief, IHM sets the scene for the day

George Sell

International Hospitality Media

09:30 - 10:00

MAIN STAGE : Keynote presentation: The future is now

Exploring the outer edges of possibility in the built environment.

Speaker:

Kai-Uwe Bergmann, Partner, BIG

Kai-Uwe Bergmann

BIG

MAIN STAGE : Panel - Urban Living 2035 

A panel of planners, architects, developers and investors discuss how urban development and regeneration will evolve over the next decade

MAIN STAGE : Panel: Redressing the balance

All the living sector verticals are facing growing supply and demand imbalance - how can investors, developers and local authorities address the worsening problem?

Coffee Break

Enjoy some networking, visit our expo and caffeinate as required.

MAIN STAGE : Presentation: The material world

As construction costs continue to rise and ESG demands mount, a new wave of cutting edge building materials will be key to delivering new buildings quickly and efficiently.

MAIN STAGE : The Urban Living Impact Awards

This is the second ever Urban Living Impact Awards - where we reward and recognise innovation and achievement across the living and flexible workspace sectors.

Join us for a glass of something sparkly to toast the winners.

Hosted by George Sell.

Lunch

Time to enjoy some lunch with colleagues

COLIVING : Panel: Scaling coliving: balancing community with financial viability.

What are the challenges and opportunities of scaling coliving models while maintaining the core community aspect that makes them attractive?

PBSA : Presentation: PBSA investment strategies and risk management 

Delving into the current state of the PBSA investment market, examining trends, opportunities, and potential risk

BTR : Presentation: Investment strategies and market dynamics 

A deep dive into the current state of the BTR market, examining investment trends, emerging opportunities, and potential challenges.

LATER LIVING : Presentation: Investing in later living: opportunities and risk mitigation 

A deep dive in to the investment landscape for later living, analysing market trends, opportunities, and potential risks.

HOSPITALITY : Branded residences: Bridging the gap between hospitality and real estate investment of hospitality and living

Panel discussion, pitch session (Dragon's den where developers present their project to a panel of investors), case study deconstruction

BTR : Panel: Delivering successful communities: BTR design, development, and placemaking

A focus on the practical aspects of developing and operating successful BTR communities

COLIVING : Panel: Coliving and the wider housing market: collaboration and competition.  

We explore the relationship between coliving and the broader housing market, addressing both the potential for collaboration and the competitive dynamics.

PBSA : Panel: Beyond bricks and mortar: creating a holistic student experience 

A look at the evolving needs and expectations of students and how PBSA can adapt to provide a holistic living experience.

LATER LIVING : Panel: Ageing in place: creating inclusive and adaptable communities 

A focus on the design principles that create successful later living communities, emphasising inclusivity, adaptability, and accessibility.

14:50 - 15:30

HOSPITALITY : Scaling lifestyle hotel brands / Can independent lifestyle brands survive the M&A frenzy?

Panel discussion, roundtable (involving all in the room)

Afternoon break

A chance to enjoy afternoon tea, networking and explore the expo space.

BTR : Panel: The rise of single-family rentals 

Analysing the rise of the SFR market - why has it been so successful and where does it go from here?

COLIVING : Panel: Achieving long-term value in coliving investments 

A deep dive in to the coliving investment landscape, moving beyond the hype to focus on long-term value creation.

PBSA : Presentation: The future of student living: trends and disruptions 

A look to the future of the PBSA market, exploring emerging trends and potential disruptions that could shape the sector.

WORKSPACE : Presentation: Investing in flex: navigating the market and maximising returns 

A deep dive in to the investment landscape for flex workspace, examining market trends, opportunities, and risk mitigation strategies.

16:00 - 16:40

HOSPITALITY : Understanding the guest of tomorrow and future of travel

Presentation & workshop.

Divide audience into small groups and give them a persona eg. business traveller, digital nomad etc to brainstorm travel plans and present findings.

BTR : Panel: The future of BTR tech 

What is the role of innovation and technology in shaping the future of the BTR sector.

COLIVING : Presentation: Beyond the city: new markets, new demographics. 

Exploring the potential for coliving beyond major urban centres, including suburban areas, smaller towns, and even rural locations.

PBSA : Panel: Understanding the international student market 

What are the specific needs and preferences of international students, a demographic which makes up around a quarter of all students studying in the UK?

WORKSPACE : Panel: The future of coworking: trends, innovations, and new markets 

A look to the future of the market, covering trends, challenges and potential disruptors.

16:50 - 17:30

HOSPITALITY : Sustainability as the new currency of corporate travel programmes

Panel Discussion.

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