Oct
12
5:30pm
Festival of the Future City: George Ferguson and Chuck Wolfe
By Bristol Ideas
George Ferguson, former mayor of Bristol, and writer and consultant Charles (Chuck) Wolfe look at the uniqueness of cities.
Somewhere, between character and caricature, there exists an authentic – a truly unique – urban place, that blends global and local, old and new. Yet, in a dramatically changing world dominated by crises of climate change, maintaining public health, and social justice, finding such places – and explaining their relevance – may be easier said than done.
How are successful places made and what is the role of authenticity, culture, character, and uniqueness? What can we learn from successful places from the past and what are the lessons for cities like Bristol?
Chuck Wolfe’s new book, Sustaining a City’s Culture and Character, looks at examples from around the world – including moving a small Swedish city, reviving Irish market towns, and revitalization efforts adjacent to London’s Waterloo Station – and puts forward tools for sustaining urban culture and character in transformative times. These range from ‘bottom up’, resident-based input about local history, building forms, natural and open spaces, cultural assets and tradition, to related policy, planning, and regulatory examples.
For those who seek an urbanism of distinctiveness to enhance city liveability, rather than a bland, generic uniformity, this session examines on a global basis how the many interrelated facets of an urban area’s unique, yet dynamic context – built, social, cultural and intangible – can be championed and advanced, rather than simply borrowed from another place.
Wolfe is in conversation with George Ferguson, architect and former mayor of Bristol.
Supported by Visit Britain.
If you miss the live event or just want to watch it again, the recording will be available on the event page just a few minutes after the live stream ends.
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