Challenger Cities EP20: Rethinking Cities Through Lessons from Music, Psychology and Engineering with Nick Tyler

Urban design often focuses on hardcore infrastructure—but what about the people who use it? In this episode, we explore how psychology, neuroscience, and philosophy can make urban spaces work better for everyone.

From Oboist to Urban Innovator

“Musicians handle time—we take a note from the future, play it in the present, and it instantly becomes the past.”

Nick Tyler’s journey into urban design began in an unconventional place: as a professional oboist. His musical background taught him to think creatively about time, space, and human experience—lessons that would later shape his innovative approach to city planning.

After a master’s in transportation planning and time spent studying Brazilian bus systems, Nick saw how traditional engineering models often ignored human behavior. “Engineeri ...