## [SCARP's Erick Villagomez on the visual politics of city building](/news/2026/scarps-erick-villagomez-visual-politics-of-city-building) ![Man at a lectern gesturing as he talks](/sites/default/files/styles/max_480w/public/announcement-images/2026-03/erick-villagomez-banner.JPG.webp?itok=ppiLO3l0) March 4, 2026 Share- [ ](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2F"e= "Share on Facebook") - [ ](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?source=https%3A%2F%2F&text=:%20https%3A%2F%2F "Tweet") - [ ](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A%2F%2F&title=&summary=&source=https%3A%2F%2F "Share on LinkedIn") - [ ](mailto:?subject=&body=:%20https%3A%2F%2F "Send email") SCARP Lecturer Erick Villagomez has written this article in Nature Cities unpacking the act of architectural visualisation as an unavoidably political act that frames understanding of what that space represents and for whom. ###### About Nature Cities (click to expand) Nature Cities aims to deepen and integrate basic and applied understanding of the character and dynamics of cities, including their roles, impacts and influences — past, present and future. The journal features research through a range of qualitative and quantitative methods, as well as synthetic reviews and timely news and opinions. They encourage research and views from and about the Global South and other geographies that have traditionally been marginalised from urban scholarship. By bringing together diverse content and voices, Nature Cities aims to transcend divides among disciplines, among regions and among researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and the public. [More about Nature Cities](https://www.nature.com/natcities/) #### The visual politics of city building ###### by Erick Villagomez ###### Abstract (click to expand) Architectural drawings and digital renderings shape not only what we see but also what gets built — and for whom. In city building, images act as persuasive tools with political consequences. This Comment argues for ethical visualization to ensure more equitable urban futures. Villagomez elaborates on how architecture, history-making, and storytelling reframe a cultural lens in ways that re-interpret, collapse a dimension of understanding, and replace cultural myth, sometimes in a colonial endeavour. As he states: "Architectural representations played a crucial role in these endeavours, presenting an idealized version of reality designed to manipulate public perception and solidify power. This tradition of manipulation through representation continues today, with dire consequences." Villagomez proposes potential interventions to democratize representations by challenging the dominance of conceived space. [Link to Villagomez's article](https://www.nature.com/articles/s44284-026-00405-3) Image ![Man in black T-shirt in brightly sunlit room](/sites/default/files/styles/original_image/public/2026-03/erick-villagomez-square.jpg.webp?itok=THmEmssr) ### About Erick Villagomez Villagomez is a lecturer at SCARP. His research, consulting and writing has influenced patterns of urban development locally and abroad — contributing to the adoption of ‘green’ urban design processes, plans, codes, standards, guidelines and prototypes. [More about Erick Villagomez](/directory/erick-villagomez "Erick Villagomez") - Research and projects ### Latest Related News - Posted on October 5, 2026 ## [SARP postdoc Keisha Maloney publishes paper about planning education](/news/2026/sarp-postdoc-keisha-maloney-publishes-paper-about-planning-education) - Posted on September 28, 2026 ## [Mike Hooper's article about the value of urban local government](/news/2026/mike-hoopers-article-about-value-of-urban-local-government) - Posted on September 21, 2026 ## [SCARP PhD Julia Kidder wins Peter Wall Award](/news/2026/scarp-phd-julia-kidder-wins-peter-wall-award) [VIEW MORE NEWS](/news)