Creative Reuse of Cities

This event will explore how cities can evolve sustainably through creative reuse - reimagining existing spaces to reduce environmental impact while preserving their character, history, and community identity. It asks how we can balance progress and preservation, transforming the urban fabric without erasing its soul.

Our cities are not static - they are living systems shaped by history, culture, and the way people live in them. As cities grow, the needs of their communities change too. But too often, this change means destroying what’s already there - buildings are torn down, streets are rebuilt, and the unique identity of a place gets lost.

Today, we know we can’t keep doing this. The construction industry is responsible for around 38% of global CO2 emissions. So instead of tearing things down and starting from scratch, we need to focus on using what we already have. This helps not only the environment but also keeps the memory and character of our cities alive.

But reuse shouldn’t be just a technical task. It’s not only about saving materials. It should also protect the story, the atmosphere, and the soul of a place. So we ask: how can we make reuse creative? How can we transform spaces while keeping what makes them meaningful?

There are, however, cases when preservation or reuse is simply not possible - when materials are too damaged to fix, when urban needs evolve, or when history itself is layered with erasure. In these cases, how do we balance progress and memory? How do we build anew without repeating mistakes of the past? And can demolition, too, be an act of creative continuity?

For the past 15 years, we’ve explored what we call Creative Reuse of Cities, which operates along a spectrum of interventions - from retrofitting and adaptive reuse to reimagining spaces and even building anew. We see it as a way to improve urban life – by renewing neighbourhoods, adding public spaces, bringing back forgotten heritage, or creating buildings that serve many functions and spark change in whole districts.

Meet our speaker and chair

Ondrej Chybik is a founding partner of CHYBIK + KRISTOF Architects (CH+K), a studio specializing in urban transformation and architecture, with offices in London, Prague, Brno, and Bratislava.

Chybik was educated at Brno University of Technology, TU Graz, and ETH Zurich, where his studio’s student work was exhibited at MoMA NYC. A passionate voice in architectural discourse, Ondrej has been a guest lecturer and critic at universities across Europe. He has also been a juror for national and international architectural competitions and was the principal editor of the Czech Architecture Yearbook 2021-22. As City Architect he works closely with the Mayor of Valmez on strategic urban development across the city. Ondrej is also a founding member of the Urban Land Institute's national council in the Czech Republic.

Hyun Bang Shin is Professor of Geography and Urban Studies and Head of the Department of Geography and Environment at the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Olmo Silva joined the Department of Geography and Environment in September 2007. He is Research Associate at the Spatial Economics Research Centre where he was Research Director between 2013 and 2016. He is also a Research Associate at the Centre for Economic Performance at the LSE, where he worked as a full-time research officer between September 2004 and August 2007. His research concentrates on the economics of education, the economics of entrepreneurship and urban and real estate economics.

Any questions?

If you have a query, please contact us at geog.comms@lse.ac.uk.