The KPF President delivered a keynote lecture on the potential for individual cities, specifically those with a population below 3 million, to drive urban change and sustain vibrant communities through the combined efforts of institutions, businesses, and policy makers.
Titled “The Nimble City: Innovation, Opportunity, and Reuse,” Jamie’s talk started by considering the model of the European city through history—from the alliance of cities that formed the Hanseatic League, to the dense mix of uses within the city walls of a medieval city. The lecture examined Copenhagen, Curitiba, Vienna, and Seoul to illustrate nimble, city-wide responses to resilience, transit, housing, and urban greening.
Jamie then took a deeper dive into three catalytic projects designed by KPF: Seaport Square Innovation District and Channelside in Boston; Oriente Green Campus in Lisbon; and the Columbia Street Corridor in Detroit. The lecture explored how, through focusing on innovation and mixed-use centers, experimenting with building form and programming, these projects represent urban laboratories from which knowledge economy cities across Europe can learn.
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