Conference explores better use of public space

The fourth edition of the reSite festival and conference, focusing on urbanism and the rethinking of public space, has just gotten underway in Prague. Over the course of Thursday and Friday, the festival will be hosting dozens of guests from all around the world who will be debating the use of shared space in the city. I spoke to Milota Sidorová, one of the festival’s organizers:

Photo: archive of reSITE

“reSite is focused on innovative urban planning and connecting all the actors in the cities: communities, developers, architects and policymakers.

“The topic this year is the shared city, which is a topic reflecting the lifestyle of young generation. It is about effective use of the city’s resources, such as co-housing or co-working spaces or transportation.

“The heart of the festival is a conference which is starting right now in Forum Karlín and it lasts until tomorrow. We invited more than fifty speakers to discuss the topics of shared economy, housing and data.”

Among the most interesting guest this year is Jon Gnarr, the former mayor of Reykjavik. Can you tell me a little bit more about him?

Jon Gnarr, photo: archive of reSITE

“Jon Gnarr is a former mayor, activist, comedian and actor, who became a politician by accident, as he says. What he brought to the municipal hall in Reykjavik, was a new way of communicating with the public, using social media as well. He brought a human face to politics, which is still rarely seen. He wrote a book about his experience which has become a bestseller and which keeps inspiring people all over the world.”

Who else is coming this year?

“It’s always difficult to choose. But I guess the second biggest name is the landscape architect James Corner, who is behind the famous High Line project in New Wok, a former railway turned into a park.

“We have also architects and specialists on social equality, namely Gabu Heindl. And we have lost of activists from Central Europe, such as Gyula Balog from Budapest, who is trying to bring the homeless from the outskirts back to the city centre and offer them jobs.

“And there is also a Czech representative, Štěpán Ripka, from the Platform for Social Housing, who want to eradicate homelessness by offering empty spaces inside the city centre.”

Apart from the debates you have mentioned, what else is happening in the city and what are the main venues?

Prazelenina, photo: archive of Prazelenina

"The main conference takes place in Forum Karlín and there are also some eight or nine discussions on shared transportation and housing, which are open to the public.

“There is also a special bike ride which goes through the districts of Karlín and Holešovice and visits four or five community projects, such as Paralelní Polis or the community garden Prazelenina. So this is just a couple of events that can also be found on our website, which is www.resite.cz.”