Mipim special

The Russians

The single most talked about subject at Mipim was the huge Russian contingent. Security was sponsored by Kazan, the capital city of Tatarstan, which lies at the heart of the Russian Federation, and the same banners dominated the entrance to the Carlton hotel. They had some projects to showcase, too: the city of Sochi on the Russian Riviera was there to promote its bid for the 2014 winter Olympics.

Climate change

A fitting topic given the unseasonably warm weather in Cannes. Speaking at a breakfast at the Majestic hotel on Tuesday, Nicky Gavron, deputy mayor of London, said one of the priorities was reducing carbon emissions in existing buildings, echoing Building’s 99% campaign. Developer Stanhope meanwhile was busy calculating the total amount of carbon emitted as a result of Mipim delegates travelling to Cannes to talk about climate change ...

Design

Peter Bishop, the head of Design for London, said opportunities to transform the face of the capital were greater than at any time since the sixties. Bishop said he would be focusing on three main areas: infrastructure, transport and sustainability. He said: “The aim is to accommodate growth without having to encroach on the green belt.”