reSITE 2017 Conference | In/visible City

June 22 – 23
Prague's Forum Karlin, Czech Republic

With over 50 top global and local thought leaders speaking and nearly 1100 visitors attending, reSITE 2017 was the premier international urbanism event in Europe.

Architects, municipal leaders, planners and investors represented in the audience were blown away by the lectures of the universally heralded Kazuyo Sejima from SANAA, Deputy Mayor of Paris Jean-Louis Missika and the inspiring and visionary Winy Maas from the envy of the architecture world, MVRDV.

The Mayor of Prague opened the second day: “We will use data platforms to plan the city more efficiently.” Although focused on infrastructure, the conversation wasn’t (only) about concrete and tubes. Our sustainable future relies on the use and sharing of data, new models of private-public partnerships, quality open space, innovation and soft infrastructure – social networks, human talent and the cultural platforms for innovation and creativity.

To improve the quality of life for the next generation, we need to invest in green infrastructure, flexible design, multifunctional transit hubs that all feed the creative and cultural sector that make cities alive and magnetic. Martin Barry’s emotional opening address defined reSITE’s sixth event as a generational statement. Paraphrasing Michael Bloomberg, Barry demanded that “Cities need to be cool, competitive and in control – the infrastructure topic is mainly about controlling our future. We must use design as a tool for our children’s children, and we must do it for our cities to be competitive, and cool.”

During the final keynote lecture and the following discussion co-hosted by The Aspen Institute Central Europe, Teddy Cruz inspired the (still) full audience to think of the city as “a political project”. “We have to reinvent the government, as collaborative and inclusive” he said.