KEES CHRISTIAANSE, KCAP, "TRANSFORMATION, THE GRAND URBAN PROJECT"

This conference took place in Luxembourg on 18 January 2018, and it was organized by LUCA.

During this conference Kees Christiaanse - founding partner of KCAP – shows how, in cities everywhere in the world, new complex and high-density large-scale projects are initiated and implemented, like La Defense in Paris, HafenCity in Hamburg, West-Kowloon in Hongkong or Marina Bay in Singapore. Today these enormous undertakings represent an established form of practicing urbanism aiming to reconfigure or extend major urban centralities.

These projects, however, tend to behave quite unpredictably. Their long realisation periods often induce changing programmes or building ensembles, political and economic constraints influence their successful completion and, very importantly, their far-reaching impact on the local and global context is mostly not effectively assessed. Therefore, these projects ask for a strategic approach, where phasing, adaptability and adjustment to the context are constantly monitored in order to inform their proper operation.

KCAP is a leading international design firm specialised in architecture, urban design and landscape design, founded in 1989 by Kees Christiaanse.
KCAP is known for the development of sustainable urban living environments, with buildings and public spaces that enliven and renew the city. In their designs, they combine their experience with architecture, urban planning and landscape design to create social and spatial cohesion. Designs with the necessary flexibility for adapting to the individual needs of users and new social developments. KCAP is based in Rotterdam and has two branch offices in Zurich (CH) and Shanghai (CN).

www.kcap.eu