Review | Kees Christiaanse at the November Talks 2017 in Prague

One of Europe’s most distinguished urban planners gave the next lecture of this year’s November Talks series at the Czech Technical University of Prague’s Faculty of Architecture. Kees Christiaanse, a partner at the architecture office KCAP and Chair of Architecture and Urbanism at the Institute for Urban Design at ETH in Zurich, presented his work.

His lecture on “Inversion & Subtraction in Urban Design and the Grand Project” showcased urban development projects in Rotterdam, Zurich and Hamburg as well as the designs of an expansive high-rise complex in the Asian city of Seun. All of these designs share a concern for the quality of public spaces and spatial parameters, whereby the city is always viewed as a vibrant, constantly changing structure.

Part of the lecture was dedicated to topics on which Christiaanse works as part of his research at ETH Zurich. For example, his observations on the positive consequences of the negative impacts of airports in urbanised spaces were very insightful. In these cases, as a result of the establishment of undeveloped corridors, parks are created that are integrated into densely developed metropolitan areas.

The last project he presented was the current design of a new quarter in Singapore. In conclusion, Christiaanse answered audience questions.

Interview with Kees Christiaanse

The Video can be found on our YouTube-Channel.

November Talks

The successful “November Reihen”, a lecture series on contemporary architecture, has been funded by the non-profit Sto Foundation since its launch in 2006. Stuttgart, Graz, Milan, Paris, Prague and London are the six venues . Exciting work reports by renowned architects can be experienced there.