reSITE has opened its 2018 Conference with a provocative overview by Prof. Richard Burdett on “endless cities” and the future of housing to provide a theoretical overview at the main stage of reSITE, which is held on June 14–15, 2018 at Prague’s Forum Karlin.

"There is a risk about taking "housing" just as an object" said Richard Burdett at reSITE 2018's first lecture. "It's a physical reality and the questions about housing should be well framed," he added. "They are all connected," he continued. He showed the demographics of urban growth in the world and he stressed that "people are not aware of what will be happening in the near future in many cities."

In the first lecture, Burdett evaluated the development of cities and emphasized how the new urbanization models could enable new housing and how these cities should finance new homes in the cities, along with a closer look at the regeneration of east London.

According to Burdett, for a good regeneration, housing and jobs should be considered within the whole planning process. Burdett also showed some examples and statistics from the informal settlements and "uncontrollable" dwellings from many countries and cities, including Ethiopia, Huaxi Village from China, Mexico City, Venezuela. Burdett said that 60% Sub-saharan is growing as informal settlement. 

"Where are the actual solutions for housing?" he asked. According to some statistics on Urban Growth (1950-2025) Burdett showed, people's life is short when they have no enough green to live with.

Burdett also emphasized the development and growth of London and he said that "London is very different from New York and other countries. London is an island it has no one centre. "Branding" is also an important part of London. 

"London has a particular physiognomy. London seems like a mess, it has no walls, it's about understand the whole infrastructure about London."

reSITE’s this year’s theme is ACCOMMODATE, focusing on the future of housing, affordable living and innovation for new housing models. Sou Fujimoto, BMW-MINI, Airbnb, WeWork/WeLive and OMA’s Reinier de Graaf, Jeanne Gang of Studio Gang, Michel Rojkind of Rojkind Arquitectos, Richard Burdett, Professor of Urban Studies at the London School of Economics and Director of the Urban Age and LSE Cities are among the speakers at reSITE’s 2018 Conference.

reSITE, the annual conference penetrating in all segments of architecture, urbanism ad innovation, has hosted its first keynote address and conversation with Richard Burdett, Professor of Urban Studies and Director of LSE Cities and the Urban Age Programme, after Martin Barry’s - Founder & Chairman of reSITE, opening speech at the reSITE stage.

Richard Burdett in conversation with Martin Barry, Founder & Chairman of reSITE

Burdett sits on the Mayor of London's Cultural Leadership Board, is a Council Member of the Royal College of Art and Trustee of the Norman Foster Foundation. He was Chief Advisor on Architecture and Urbanism for the London 2012 Olympics and architectural advisor to the Mayor of London from 2001 to 2006. He was Director of the Venice Architecture Biennale in 2006 and curator of the Global Cities exhibition at Tate Modern in 2007.

Burdett has been on architectural juries for high-profile projects including Tate Modern, London's Aquatic Centre, Rothschild Bank Headquarters, Holland Green and Elizabeth House and has worked on major regeneration projects across Europe and the USA. He was appointed CBE (Commander of the British Empire) in the Queen's 2017 New Year's Honours List.

 World Architecture Community is the Main Media Partner for reSITE 2018 and is bringing you the hottest topics, live-discussions and keynote sessions from the two-day event with exclusive interviews.

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