Mobilising knowledge for urban governance: the case of the Gauteng City-region observatory

The capacity to derive, analyse and communicate urban knowledge is increasingly essential for decision-makers managing the complex pressures of rapidly expanding cities. This paper examines the importance of transdisciplinary boundary organisations in generating and mobilising this knowledge. It introduces ‘urban observatories’ as an example of institutions catalysing information that can shape urban governance, considering in detail the experience of the Gauteng City-Region Observatory (GCRO) in South Africa. Insights drawn from GCRO’s recent work illustrate key operational considerations for these types of boundary institutions, highlighting opportunities and challenges in shaping the knowledge systems that underpin contemporary policymaking in and for cities