In the opening episode of Urbcast’s newest series, The Nocturnal Cities, I have a pleasure to talk to Andreina Seijas — an expert in nighttime urban governance. Our discussion launches an exploration into how cities function after dark — from the economic and social aspects of the night to the cultural and environmental potential that still lies untapped.

The topic of nocturnal cities has in recent years become gained traction and is now a part of urban policies across the globe. This is why we will talk about nighttime governance as a must-have to city council.

Understanding Nocturnal Cities: what happens from 6 PM to 6 AM?

When speaking about nocturnal cities, Andreina explains, we are referring to everything that occurs between 6 PM and 6 AM — the so-called other half of the day. This includes productive activities, social gatherings, and economic behavior that collectively make up what is often referred to as the nighttime economy.

Andreina’s personal journey into this field began in her hometown of Caracas, Venezuela, which was once ranked among the most dangerous cities in the world. Growing up as a young woman in such an environment made the night feel particularly inaccessible, even threatening. Yet, this very difficulty created a fascination: what were other cities doing to reclaim and make sense of the night?

Observing the night: grassroots beginning

Long before her formal studies, Andreina and a sociologist friend began conducting observational studies in Caracas — similar to the ones started by famed urbanist Jan Gehl and his wife. They spent evenings in public spaces like the Boulevard Sabana Grande, noting who was out, what time they arrived, what they were doing, and where they were going.

This grassroots research revealed something crucial: in many Latin American cities, night-time activity tends to take place in private rather than public spaces — in malls, restaurants, or homes. Observing life on the streets at night was, in itself, a radical act. Without realizing it at the time, they were participating in what is now recognized as “night studies,” a growing interdisciplinary field.

From Caracas to Nuit Blanche: using culture to reclaim the night

While working as a journalist and communications manager for a municipality in Caracas in 2009, Andreina became involved in organizing a night-time cultural festival called Por el Medio de la Calle (In the Middle of the Street). Inspired by the French Nuit Blanche festival, which reclaims the night for art and culture in Paris once a year, this event sought to bring citizens out into public spaces after dark.

That year, Por el Medio de la Calle attracted over 40,000 people. It was a groundbreaking experience for a city marked by fear and privatization of space. People from all parts of Caracas gathered at night, enjoying art, music, and dance, while engaging with fellow citizens from different backgrounds. This event planted the seeds for what would later become Andreina’s academic and professional focus.

Academic pursuits: who owns the night?

Andreina’s growing interest in night-time life led her to explore the topic during her master's degree in London. Her dissertation posed a crucial question: Who owns the night? She examined the social significance of the night for young people in cities like Caracas — particularly how nighttime access and freedom shape identity and build social capital.

Her studies revealed that not being able to experience the night limits individuals’ ability to connect with others and with their city. The night is more than a timeframe — it’s a space of potential and transformation.

Recognizing that existing research largely came from sociological and geographical perspectives, Andreina sought to approach night studies through the lens of urban planning. This unique viewpoint ultimately led her to pursue doctoral studies in urban governance, specializing in nighttime governance just before the COVID-19 pandemic.

A multidimensional field: beyond entertainment

Today, Andreina argues that the night should be treated as a legitimate urban space, deserving of the same proactive planning and management as the day. Nighttime isn’t just about bars and parties — it combines social, environmental, cultural, and economic dimensions. Cities must shift from reactive policies (such as curfews or alcohol restrictions) to proactive governance that enables a vibrant, safe, and inclusive urban nightscape.

Referencing philosopher Henri Lefebvre’s famous question “Who owns the city?”, Andreina adapts the inquiry to the realm of nighttime governance: Who owns the night? It’s a question that opens up possibilities for reclaiming public space, promoting equity, and rethinking how we use — and govern — our cities after dark.

Our previous conversation about the importance of darkness in cities:

The evolution of nighttime governance

So why is this field emerging now, despite the fact that cities — and nights — have existed for centuries?

According to Andreina, interest in nighttime governance grew steadily starting in the 1990s, when urban theorists began examining the temporal aspects of planning in post-industrial cities. As cities sought to maximize the use of space over 24-hour cycles, both opportunities and challenges arose. While extending urban life into the night can bring economic and cultural benefits, it can also lead to social tension, noise complaints, and increased alcohol-related incidents.

Over the years, the field has evolved in waves — first focusing on spatial usage, then on coexistence challenges, and now increasingly on the institutions responsible for managing the night. This progression gave rise to the concept of nighttime governance, which extends beyond government to include community organizations, businesses, and cultural institutions.

Key to this shift has been the rise of roles such as night mayors and nighttime managers, who coordinate urban life after dark.

The impact of COVID-19: a global turning point

As the field of nighttime governance began to mature and gain international traction, a significant shift occurred in 2020 with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. It marked a defining moment — a “before and after” in the development of the 24-hour city concept. Overnight, cities around the world came to a halt. The heart of urban nightlife — social gatherings, cultural events, late-night transportation — was suspended. This sudden and holistic shutdown highlighted the fragility of nighttime economies and exposed the gaps in how cities plan for the night.

Public transportation systems like the New York City subway, which had long operated on a 24-hour basis, stopped for the first time in decades. Cultural venues and hospitality businesses shuttered. People who had previously enjoyed vibrant nights out or relied on the night shift for work found themselves disconnected and disoriented.

Yet out of this silence came a powerful response. Existing night mayors and nighttime governance bodies used the crisis as an opportunity to reflect and regroup. Figures such as Mirik Milan (former Night Mayor of Amsterdam) and, Lutz Leichsenring (former spokesperson of Berlin’s Clubcommission) of VibeLab (both will be guests of our series!), began convening conversations to reassess the role and resilience of nighttime ecosystems.

Building a global network of night advocates

The pandemic inspired the formation of a more cohesive and international network of nighttime advocates. A global WhatsApp group emerged, where night mayors and practitioners from different continents began sharing their experiences, challenges, and responses. It was no longer just about nightlife — it became a forum for exchanging “practices” (not necessarily “best practices,” which are often context-specific) on how cities could adapt their nighttime policies to survive and recover.

This new phase saw nighttime governance transition from grassroots advocacy to institutional policymaking. No longer seen solely as youthful, underfunded initiatives, many night mayors have evolved into influential lobbyists and policy developers. They now engage with city regulations, licensing systems, zoning laws, and broader urban strategies that shape how and where life at night can flourish.

Common challenges, shared solutions

Across cities, similar patterns began to emerge — issues around gentrification, displacement of creative and nightlife communities, and increasing spatial inequality. A typical scenario plays out: an underutilized industrial area becomes attractive due to vibrant cultural activity, only to be overtaken by real estate development, pushing out the very forces that made it desirable.

These urban transformations raise fundamental questions: Who owns the night? Who has access to night spaces? And how can cities ensure that nighttime environments are inclusive and diverse?

Nighttime governance has expanded to address these complexities, encompassing not only the cultural and entertainment sectors but also the needs of night workers, essential services, and public safety. The night is no longer just a time for leisure; it is a vital period of productivity, community, and identity for many — whether you're a nurse, a logistics worker, or an artist.

Beyond the nightlife: towards a 24-hour urban perspective

This broader understanding of the urban night has led to a conceptual shift: from a narrow focus on nightlife to a holistic view of “life at night.” Today’s nighttime governance engages with multiple sectors — from well-being and mental health to sustainability and climate adaptation during night hours.

This new framing insists that nighttime policy is not simply a niche topic — it is integral to urban resilience. It asks city leaders to design infrastructure, mobility, housing, and public services for a full 24-hour cycle. This includes thinking about multi-use zoning that supports different functions throughout the day and night, and reimagining how the built environment can accommodate evolving nighttime needs.

Looking ahead: reinventing the urban night

The post-pandemic years have revealed the power of nighttime governance not only to protect nightlife but to reimagine urban rhythms entirely. This movement now spans discussions of public health, safety, productivity, mobility, and inclusion — all viewed through the lens of time.

As more cities appoint night mayors and build nighttime strategies, the future lies in embedding time-sensitive thinking into all aspects of urban governance. The night is not merely the absence of day; it is a complex, dynamic arena that reflects the social, economic, and cultural life of a city. Understanding it — and governing it — is no longer optional. It is essential to shaping cities that work for everyone, 24 hours a day.

From festive nights to functional nights

In recent years, urban nighttime governance has shifted from a focus on vibrant, festive nightlife to a more nuanced understanding of how night functions as a critical extension of the day. As Andreina highlights in this conversation, referencing the work of other academic voices in the growing field of night studies such as Will Straw--Urban Media Studies professor at McGill and one of her doctoral advisors--cities are transitioning from seeing the night as primarily a space for entertainment to a more inclusive realm that accommodates workers, caregivers, and communities seeking justice and social interaction.

This shift acknowledges that the challenges cities face—affordability, climate, inclusion, vibrancy—do not vanish after sundown. In fact, they can intensify. The conversation points to the need to expand our understanding of night beyond concentrated entertainment hubs, moving toward a broader, more spatially distributed and socially aware urban nighttime ecosystem.

Decentralizing the nighttime economy

Traditionally, many cities have concentrated nighttime activities into specific entertainment districts. This zoning approach, often rooted in the idea that such concentration simplifies regulation and policing, has proven to have significant downsides. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated a move away from this centralized model, pushing nighttime activities closer to residential areas as teleworking reshaped people’s routines and preferences.

Now, there’s a growing recognition that decentralization can enhance accessibility and equity. Cities like Amsterdam have implemented progressive policies such as 24-hour licenses, which grant selected venues permission to operate around the clock—under the condition they locate outside city centers. This initiative not only reduces congestion and noise complaints in central districts but also creates new incentives for nighttime offerings in underutilized areas.

Barcelona, for example, is experiencing a major challenge, with nearly 50% of its nighttime activity concentrated in just three districts. This over-concentration leads not to easier control, but to increased nuisances and conflicts. As cities worldwide reconsider the spatial layout of their nightscapes, time emerges as a crucial variable—one that, when leveraged thoughtfully, can help spread out urban activity, lessen negative impacts, and improve coexistence among urban residents.

The climate-nighttime partnership

One of the most profound yet underexplored intersections in urban planning is the relationship between climate change and nighttime governance. As Andreina outlines, the night is both a response to and a driver of climate change.

Cities facing rising temperatures are already shifting more activities to the cooler nighttime hours. In Southern Europe, Africa, and parts of Asia and the Middle East, this includes not only changes to dining and sleeping patterns but also regulatory adjustments. Countries such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE are now restricting outdoor labor during extreme daytime heat, pushing work into the night for health and safety reasons.

However, this adaptation carries environmental consequences. Increased nighttime activity demands more lighting, energy, and services—many of which still rely on carbon-intensive infrastructure. Industries like manufacturing, construction, and data centers intensify their operations during the night, amplifying emissions and contributing to the urban heat island effect. Rising nighttime temperatures, in turn, are associated with health risks, sleep disturbances, and ecosystem disruptions.

Thus, cities face a dual imperative: to adapt responsibly while minimizing the climate burden of nighttime activity. Tools like zoning flexibility, temporal licensing, and context-sensitive regulations can support this balance. These interventions can help cities manage intensity of use, protect vulnerable populations, and steer development in climate-conscious directions.

Carpe Noctem

To summarize our discussion, let’s use Andreina’s words: Carpe Noctem—seize the night. Just as we seize the day to improve our urban environments, the night offers equally important opportunities for better planning, equity, and livability.

What’s next in the Nocturnal Cities series?

This episode is the first of a special Urbcast series co-hosted by Marcin and Andreina. In the coming episodes, we will be joined by experts from around the world—practitioners, academics, policymakers, and creatives—who are all shaping the narrative of what the night can and should be in our cities.

Stay tuned—and until next time, remember:

Carpe Noctem. Seize the night. Let’s make our cities better, after dark.

🌙 This episode is part of a special Urbcast series on nighttime governance, co-designed by Andreina Seijas, international consultant and researcher and the founder of Night Tank. Follow the podcast for upcoming episodes and join the conversation.

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