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Communication about urban development is often too technical, too slow, or aimed at the wrong audience. I help organisations change that.
For organisations and agencies
I work with development agencies, international organisations, municipalities, and design offices on communications that reach further and land harder. This includes:
Past clients include GIZ, Cities Alliance, the European Union, UNESCO, UN-Habitat, Harvard Bloomberg Cities, and UCLG.
I write solutions-focused stories about cities, communities, and urban initiatives – making complex topics accessible for international and general audiences.
I help development agencies, international organisations, and design offices develop communications strategies that reach the right people and communicate impact.
I give workshops and lectures on urban solutions journalism for universities, NGOs, and international organisations.
Working in urban development or urban journalism as a student or early-career professional? I offer mentoring to help you find your direction.
My journalism focuses on what works in cities: participatory planning processes, sustainable infrastructure, inclusive public spaces, and the people driving change from the ground up. I write in the tradition of solutions journalism: rigorous, evidence-based, and constructive.
Alongside editorial journalism, I offer copywriting, content strategy, and social media content in English, German, and Spanish. I also bring experience in visual communication, making me a useful collaborator for projects that need both words and a clear visual logic.
Good urban development work deserves communications that match its ambition. Too often, important initiatives remain invisible – either because the communication is too technical, too slow, or not adapted to the audiences that matter most.
As a freelance consultant, I develop and implement communications strategies together with my clients, their stakeholders, citizens, and partner organisations. My approach is investigative before it is prescriptive: I listen first, map the landscape, and then design solutions that fit the specific political, cultural, and organisational context.
Past clients include the German development cooperation agency GIZ, the European Union, UNESCO, UN-Habitat, IDOS, Cities Alliance, and UCLG.
I offer:
I design and deliver workshops and lectures that give participants tools they can use immediately. My sessions are case-study-based and participatory. I draw on examples from cities across four continents to make the framework of solutions journalism concrete and actionable.
I work with universities, NGOs, international organisations, and public agencies. Sessions can be adapted in length, format, and language (English, German, or Spanish). If you have a specific topic or audience in mind, I am happy to develop something bespoke.
Finding a career in urban development, especially as a freelancer, can feel challenging. I offer mentoring conversations for students and young professionals who are figuring out their path: whether that means going freelance, building a niche, or navigating the transition from academic to professional work. I have been where you are, and I am happy to share what I have learned.
Get in touch at laura@parcitypatory.org and we can schedule a free call.
“Laura v. Puttkamer has been very proactive and dedicated. (…) She familiarized herself quickly with the topics and open questions, assumed a lot of responsibility and always addressed the needs of PROJECT-E. (…) Especially to be emphasised is her great creativity and ability to adapt to sometimes challenging circumstances. Despite the high and complex workload, Laura v. Puttkamer never lost the overview and constantly did an outstanding job. She is characterized by her friendly and competent communication with third parties, supervisors and within the team. Her very positive attitude and her professionalism complete the picture.”
Project-E, consulting on the education concept for a hospitality school in Addis Ababa
“Laura participó como consultora para ENSAMBLE durante el verano de 2019. Nos ha aconsejado sobre el uso de métodos participativos, fue de ayuda en la communicación internacional del proyecto y contribuyó con varias ideas para mejorar nuestro trabajo como ONG. El equipo y la comunidad con la que trabajamos estamos muy contentos con el invaluable trabajo de Laura.”
ENSAMBLE, working to empower communities in Mexico City’s “Forgotten East”
“Seit vielen Jahren gestaltet Laura Puttkamer für das Bildungsformat der SchülerUni Nachhaltigkeit + Klimaschutz die Website und schreibt für Print und Online Medien-Texte. Zudem hat sie selbst einen Workshop zum Thema “Urbane Utopien” gegeben. Wir schätzen ihre engagierte, zuverlässige Arbeit und ihren wertvollen inhaltlichen und konzeptionellen Impuls.”
SchülerUni Klimaschutz + Nachhaltigkeit, project management and PR for a sustainability format at Freie Universität Berlin
