Last month, we had the privilege of hosting an inspiring session with the amazing Livia Tirone, diving deep into the theme “Towards a Totally Good Future.” Livia isn’t just a sustainability champion; she’s a visionary architect, founder of the Lisbon hub for THNK, School of Creative Leadership, and co-creator of REBUNDANCE, a movement dedicated to community resilience and planetary regeneration.

Livia’s belief is simple yet powerful: every one of us has the power to make change happen. As an architect, she’s worked on sustainable, bioclimatic homes in the Mediterranean region that prove we can live in comfort all year without plugging into external energy sources. Her projects embody the future she envisions—a future that’s possible if we dare to imagine it.

During her talk, Livia encouraged us to envision a “totally good future.” Her message? The future isn’t set in stone. We can change it and shape it to be more sustainable, joyful, and resilient. Her passion is contagious; you leave her talks feeling like maybe, just maybe, you can change the world.

But what’s holding us back? Livia believes it’s limiting beliefs and inherited ideas about how we “should” spend our time. She challenged us directly, asking, “What should our time really be spent on?” It was a question that lingered in the air, nudging each of us to look inward.

She then introduced us to four stages of personal and societal growth: value, time, dignity, and resources. In small groups, we dove into each theme, exploring how we might evolve from one stage to the next. Each group had its own takeaways: the resources group explored ideas around veganism, vertical farming, and shared responsibility, while the time group discussed the importance of aligning our time with what truly makes us happy and connected.

As we reconvened, Livia pointed out something remarkable: in just 15 minutes, we’d found common ground—a consensus that could, if embraced, transform our lives. “Imagine what you can do if you bring these insights into your everyday life,” she said, and the room buzzed with a newfound energy.

Livia left us with a profound reminder: “2050 is practically tomorrow.” The change we need isn’t somewhere far away—it’s already within us, waiting to be harnessed. If her talk was any guide, the future depends on us organizing, finding shared values, and exploring the common ground that often goes overlooked.

Beyond her work, Livia is a masterful facilitator, creating safe spaces for communities to shift from scarcity to abundance and collaboration. She’s also the author of Construção Sustentável (2007), a must-read for anyone interested in sustainable construction.

A huge thank you to Livia for sparking new perspectives, and to Second Home for hosting us, alongside our partners—351 Portuguese Startup Association, Portugal Tech Week, and Daily Coffee PT—for supporting such a transformative event.

Text by Peter Schimke

Photography by Carla Heyworth