The James Stirling Memorial Lecture on the City

A collaboration between the Canadian Centre for Architecture, Montréal, and the Cities Programme, London School of Economics

Conceived in homage to architect James Stirling, who believed that urban design is integral to the practice of architecture and a vital topic for public debate, the James Stirling Memorial Lectures on the City competition was inaugurated in November 2003 as a unique forum for the advancement of new critical perspectives on the role of urban design and urban architecture in the development of cities worldwide. The intent of this bi-annual lecture competition is to promote innovative approaches to urban phenomena, and to re-position architecture at the centre of debates on the city of the 21st century. We are seeking proposals for research projects that provoke critical as well as theoretical debate and simultaneously advance practical knowledge. The previous recipients are Teddy Cruz of San Diego (2004–2005) and Eyal Weizman of London (2006–2007).

The 2008–2009 James Stirling Lecture will be presented in autumn 2008 at the CCA in Montréal, and in autumn 2009 at the LSE in London.

Public lectures

The Cities Programme offers a variety of lectures and seminars in London which are free and open to the general public.  Past speakers have included architects Daniel Libeskind, Norman Foster, Charles Correa, Zaha Hadid, and Richard Rogers.

The last Cities Programme Lecture was by Kees Christiaanse, Visiting Professor, LSE Cities Programme, on 20th November 2007:

 [limited access] or the open city?

The idea of the open city as a place of social integration, cultural diversity and collective identity is perceived as an irreversible achievement of modernity, and fuels our visions for a sustainable urban future. Nevertheless, we are witnessing increasing fragmentation and seclusion, which threatens the existence of the open city. Suburban compounds, gated communities, university campuses, covered shopping malls, urban entertainment areas, airport security zones, holiday resorts, all tend to develop into privatized and controlled zones, which are connected with the city at large by a limited number of corridors and access points. Public space - traditionally understood as the ultimate space of social encounter and equality - is being eroded by commerce, changing lifestyles and functionality. This lecture addressed  whether these conditions are destroying the sensible tissues of the open city, which are intended to encourage social interaction and balance. Are cities degenerating into secluded islands that denying a balanced urban totality? And how might the open city react to these developments?

Professor Christaanse is Professor of Architecture and Urban Design at the ETH Zurich and the founder of KCAP, which has offices in Rotterdam, Zurich and London. He is a member of the Mayor's Design for London Advisory Group and was recently appointed curator of the International Architecture Biennale in Rotterdam in 2009, also to be entitled "[limited access] or the open city?".

For information on how to get to a lecture at the LSE please see  Coming to an event at LSE

Events archive
A list of previous Cities Programme events is available on the Events archive page.