reSITE, the annual conference penetrating in all segments of architecture and urbanism, has announced its final program and speakers for this year's conference, which will be held on June 14–15, 2018 at Prague’s Forum Karlin. 

This year, the event's theme is ACCOMODATE and will discuss innovation, housing and affordable living at various levels, with prominent architects, city leaders, experts and designers. The conference will present 50 international speakers from various disciplines, focusing on top quality housing and quality of life, bringing inspiration from the world’s most desirable cities. 

Sou Fujimoto, BMW-MINI, Airbnb, WeWork/WeLive and OMA’s Reinier de Graaf, Jeanne Gang of Studio Gang, Michel Rojkind are among the confirmed speakers at reSITE 2018 ACCOMMODATE, one of Europe’s top annualinternational forums showcasing top solutions forcities and attended by the region’s top business,civic and design leaders.

Image © reSITE 

World Architecture Community is the Main Media Partner for this year's event and will be bringing you the hottest topics, live-discussions and keynote sessions from the two-day event with exclusive interviews.

All participants from different sectors can still buy their tickets for the event. reSITE, specifically, follows a special trajectory on their ticket policy to bring most of people from different sectors of architecture and urbanism. If you're a student, you can buy your discounted tickets from here until June 8, 2018. If you want to participate in some workshops, evening sessions, tours, or a public salon with Mini Living, you can register to them free from here.

WeWork, fresh off a $20bn valuation will present their transition from shared office space to shared flats in their WeLive business. Airbnb will send the Head of Policy from San Francisco to outline their plans and policy goals for the future of shared living and hospitality in Prague and other cities.

Kathryn Gustafson, founder of Gustafson & Portman on the reSITE 2017 stage. Image © Tomas Princ

reSITE’s 360° stage puts globally renown and inspirational experts at the center of a 1000+ audience of investors, architects, planners, innovators, cultural, municipal and real estate leaders.

The premiere of Dezeen’s anticipated movie Elevation, a documentary on how drones will change our cities, a city run led by Michel Rojkind, book signing by Reinier de Graaf, and a series ofworkshops, curated by reSITE’s Shared Cities: Creative Momentum team, will be included in the event.

Solstice on the Park. Image © Tom Harris, courtesy Studio Gang

reSITE's ACCOMODATE will discuss the future of Housing

Alternative ownership, affordable and cooperative housing, new financing and regeneration models are driving the conversation about housing around the world. reSITE 2018 will present the best of those models from around the world and see how they might fit in Prague and other EU cities.

"Housing is a bit different than other types of architecture and development because it's intensely personal and always so closely tied to our well-being and quality of life in the city. We need new ideas, new innovations, new types of dwellings to respond to the changing demographics and economics of cities. Design, policy and innovation need to come together to find them," said Martin Barry, Founder of reSITE."

"I’m honored to join reSITE and humbled to tackle the biggest issue cities face: where and how people live, and how to do it fairly, equitably, and sustainably. The right to the city begins with housing, and so that’s where the theme of reSITE 2018 begins," explained the new program curator of the event Greg Lindsay, a writer, journalist and urbanist.

Sou Fujimoto. Image © David Vintiner

Sou Fujimoto, the founder of Sou Fujimoto Architects in Japan, recently selected as WSJ’s Architecture Innovator of the Year and greenarchitecture genius, will speak about his large-scale urbanism and residential projects, including those he has designed for major Frenchcities – Paris, Nice, Marseille.

Oke Hauser, Creative Lead and mastermind of BMW Mini Cooper's new portfolio of residential concepts Mini Living will present their concept, which has created an international sensation at Milan Design Week in April with over 70,000 visitors and millions of social media interactions.

Airbnb’s Head of Policy Research Anita Roth will join reSITE from San Francisco to outline the future policy ideas and strategies of shared livingand sustainable hospitality services.

Erion Veliaj, 39 year-old dream Mayor of Tirana working to bring Albaniato the 21st century, is one Southern Europe’s most talented politicians. He approaches sustainability with creative solutions. His policy focuses oninnovation, smart financing, 100% renewable energy, hybrid and electric cars and he doesn’t consider limited public budgets as an excuse for slowurban development. 

Darick Borowski, Creative Director of WeWork and WeLive, will explainthe move of the $20 billion valued company, towards cooperative living, flexible residential flats.

Another keynote lecture will be given by Richard Burdett, Professor of Urban Studies at the London School of Economics and Director of the Urban Age and LSE Cities.

Michel Rojkind. Image © Santiago Ruizseñor

The Founder of Rojkind Arquitectos Michel Rojkind, the Honorary Member of WAC, was listed by Wallpaper magazine amongst "150 Movers, Shakers and Makers ThatHave Rocked the World in the Last 15 Years". His latest achievement, theForo Boca concert and culture hall in Mexico, has amazed the planet.

Dara Huang. Image courtesy of Design Hause Liberty

The Founder of Design House Liberty, Dara Huang, will speak about new trends in residential architecture.

The conference will include a diversity of formats – keynotes, paneldiscussions, field trips, interactive workshops, tours, parties, anunforgettable dinner. A city run with Michel Rojkind will be organised on Saturday June 16 after the event wrap-up. reSITE is a one-of-a-kind experience combining the best ideas in the world from the bottom to thetop.

Jeanne Gang. Image © Studio Gang

Jeanne Gang, the founder of Studio Gang, is a Chicago-based practicing architect and a Mac Arthur Fellow, whose work at a recent MoMA exhibition "Foreclosed: Rehousing the American Dream" will be a highlight.

Reinier de Graaf. Image courtesy of OMA

OMA’s Reinier de Graaf's first book “Four Walls and a Roof” will be revealed at the event, where the participants expect him to lambaste apathetic architectural ideals and explain that architecture will always be flawed as long as humans conceive, create and build it.

High-level editors will moderate the discussions, including Marcus Fairs, founder of Dezeen, Monocle’s producer and reporter Carlota Rebelo, Andrew Tuck and Rob Bole, General Manager of Citylab – the world’smost respected and read “cities” online publication.

reSITE is more than a conference and will include extra events

Films

A film premiere of Elevation, a highly anticipated Dezeen’s documentary production on how drones will change our cities. The film will be screened on the main stage on Thu June 14, from 4pm, with the introduction by his director, Marcus Fairs, and the artist and architect Liam Young present fora Q&A. 

Young and Maughan’s short film In The Robot Skies will be screened on the main stage on Friday June 15 and both filmmakers will give a talk. 

Shared Cities Workshop

The afternoon session on Thursday, June 14 will be dedicated to a series of workshops curated by Shared Cities: Creative Momentum team. The workhops leaders coming mostly from Central European countries will focus on co-living, networking of neighborhoods, sharing of data and resources. Some of the workshops will utilize gaming, immersive and experiential activities. The capacity is limited, registration needed. Priority registration for conference attendees via conference app. Remaining capacity will be open for registrations to general audience via reSITE.

Book Signing by OMA’s Reinier De Graaf

Dutch architect, writer & partner at OMA, Reinier de Graaf will host abook signing at reSITE 2018 ACCOMMODATE following the release ofhis acclaimed book "Four Walls and a Roof: The Complex Nature of aSimple Profession" named best books of 2017 by both the FinancialTimes and The Guardian.

Run with Rojkind

Michel Rojkind, besides being an acclaimed architect and a multitalentedartist, is also known as a passionate runner. He will lead a city run. Runas a free, democratic and active way to explore the beauties any city hasto offer. Free event. Registration needed via reSITE.org.

Launch Salon

A public Salon will take place on Wednesday, June 13 from 7pm at the Emblem Hotel, Prague, with Mini Living’s Creative Lead Oke Houser as the mainguest. Free event upon registration via reSITE.

Tours

Guided tours for small groups will bring us to the residential and riverside areas of the regenerating Holesovice and Karlin districts. 

The registrations are open, with a huge discount for students and several options for professionals, with special deals offered to professionalorganizations including AIA Europe. Free public events will be also part ofthe event. 

See WAC's previous coverage about reSITE on Urbanism section. 

Top image © Dorota Velek

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