reSITE 2014: More detailed information about the conference program

Conference theme: Cities and Landscapes of the New Economy
People are gradually moving to places where there is a better future for them and their children. A diverse range of job opportunities is at the core of this decision-making. Contemporary Central and Eastern European cities are also competing for the attention and energy of their citizens and investors. Successful cities strengthen their position as centers of education, culture, and innovation, thus becoming the engine of the economy.

Conference venue: Forum Karlín, Prague
reSITE 2014 will be the historic first conference in a brand new multifunctional hall on Pernerova Street in Prague 8, with a capacity of 2,000 seated spectators. It is the most modern multifunctional hall of its kind in the entire Czech Republic.

Conference dates: June 19 and 20, 2014

Discussion panels:

Density and Urban Development
Together with urban economists, we will focus on the relationship between building density, economic efficiency, and development intensity.

Industrial Past: Innovative Future
The industrial revolution and the era of planned economy left many untapped opportunities and internal capacities in our cities' centers waiting for smart solutions.

Civic Resilience: A City for Everyone
Let’s not wait for savior solutions from above and get to work. The city is ours; let’s reshape it in our image.

Strategic Planning and Public Discussion
How to define long-term goals at a time when every plan is outdated by the moment of its completion?


Selected speakers:

Edward Glaeser
Professor of Economics at Harvard University, specialist in urban economics, author of the bestseller The Triumph of the City: How Our Greatest Invention Makes Us Richer, Smarter, Greener, Healthier and Happier.

Michael Kimmelman
Exclusive architecture critic for The New York Times, with a focus on housing development, public space, infrastructure, community development, and social responsibility. Described by writer Robert Hughes as “the smartest American art critic of his generation.”

Michael Desvigne
The leading landscape architect of today, collaborating on projects in over 12 countries with architects such as Herzog and de Meuron, Foster+Partners, Rem Koolhaas, Christian Portzamparc, I. M. Pei, Renzo Piano, Richard Rogers, and Jean Nouvel. He received the French Grand Prize for Urbanism in 2011 for his contributions to urban planning (Paris, Euralens, Marseille).

Stig Lennart Andersson
Danish landscape architect, founder and creative director of the interdisciplinary organization SLA in Copenhagen, professor of urban design at the University of Copenhagen, visiting professor at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne. The first recipient of the prestigious Topos European Landscape Award.

Jevgenij Asse
The only currently globally recognized Russian architect and artist, associated during the totalitarian period with the group of so-called "bumážniks" or "paper architects," and later an enthusiastic executor and curator of Russian presentations at the Venice Architecture Biennale (2004, 2006). Co-founder, professor, and dean of MARCH, the first independent architectural school in Russia (since 2012).

Adam Greenfield
Urbanist and writer, founder and head of the New York studio Urbanscale and co-founder of the design team Do projects, working at the intersection of design, technology, and culture, with a strong interest in urban forms. Previously, he worked as head of design for Nokia in Helsinki, as an information architect in Tokyo, a rock critic for SPIN magazine, a medic in Berkeley, a barista in West Philadelphia, and as a sergeant in American special operations units.

Margaret Newman
Executive Director of the New York City Architectural Society (MAS), advocating for intelligently planned built environments in NYC, supported by economic growth and cultural diversity. She previously worked as a team leader in the New York City Department of Transportation, where she oversaw large projects, including plans for the major reconstruction of Times Square, focusing on sustainable design.

Adriaan Geuze
Co-founder of the world-renowned Dutch studio West 8, focused on urban design and landscape architecture. Their unique approach integrates elements of contemporary culture, urban identity, architecture, public space, and technology, always considering the local context, ranging from the famous Borneo district in Rotterdam, Governor's Island in New York, through Mallorca, Rio Madrid, or Toronto to Seoul.

Mark Johnson
Landscape architect and urban designer, founder of the firm CIVITAS. His significant projects include the reconstruction of Stapleton Airport in Denver, the River Revitalization Regulatory Plan in Los Angeles, Museum Park Miami, and San Diego North Embarcadero. His large-scale projects engage social, economic, and environmental systems, specializing in the new use of brownfields.

Nicolas Buchoud
Leading French expert in sustainable urban development. He participated in the plan for the Greater Paris and the expansion of Moscow. Founder of the consulting firm Renaissance Urbaine, involved in strategic urban development solutions in Russia, Indonesia, Japan, and North America. He worked for over 10 years as a municipal official in social housing on the outskirts of French cities.

Tomáš Ctibor
Head of the Institute for Planning and Development of the City of Prague, processing essential strategic development documents for Prague such as the Strategic Plan or the new Metropolitan Plan. He is also an external lecturer at the Faculty of Architecture CTU and a member of independent international institutions that bring together professionals and experts in the field of real estate. Previously, he served as a member of the steering committee of CzechInvest.

Jan Světlík
Chairman of the Board and CEO of Vítkovice Holding, a.s. Initiator and investor in the most ambitious reconstruction and revitalization of a post-industrial area in the Czech Republic, known as the Lower Vítkovice area, into a new vibrant urban district based on the creative industry.

Tereza Stöckelová
Sociologist focusing on contemporary transformations in research and education, the movement of knowledge between science and society, and issues of political ecology. She works at the Institute of Sociology of the Czech Academy of Sciences and teaches at the Department of General Anthropology at the Faculty of Humanities, Charles University. She co-founded ProAlt - an initiative for critiquing reforms and supporting alternatives. Recently, she gained attention with her books Dangerous Liaisons: On the Relationship between Social Sciences and Society and Ethnography: Improvisation in Theory and Field Practice (co-editor).

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