Westminster City Council is proud to announce two debates to be held in the New Year, in partnership with The Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures & Commerce (RSA), on the subject of how we should develop and manage the cities of the future.

Covering issues such as:

• How are the uses of buildings or places altered by what goes on in and around them?
• How do we educate to innovate and provide opportunity?
• How do city architects make us think about places in different ways?
• How do we best balance safety and freedom, rights and responsibilities for urban citizens?
• What social support is needed for an evolving population?

The debates will be a comprehensive exploration on the important role of architecture and public spaces in our cityscapes and the social services needed to support an evolving population. The purpose of these talks is to develop more effective and efficient ways of delivering local services.

21st February 2008 - 19.00

Innovation - Cities of the Future
Debate 1: Civic Renewal: structures and spaces
for a modern city

Location: RSA, 8 John Adam Street, London WC2N 6EZ
Speakers: Sir Norman Foster, Victoria Thornton, Jan Gehl, Sir Terry Farrell CBE, Paul Finch OBE Hon FRIBA

Panelist details:
Sir Terry Farrell CBE, Principal, Terry Farrell & Partners, Sir Norman Foster, Chairman, Foster and Partners, Jan Gehl, founding partner, Gehl Architects and Professor of Urban Design, School of Architecture, Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts and Victoria Thornton, Director, London Open House

Chaired by Paul Finch, Editorial Director of publishing group, EMAP Construct and former editor of Architects' Journal

26th February 2008 - 19.00

Innovation - Cities of the Future
Debate 2: One City: building united, active and
tolerant communities

Location: RSA, 8 John Adam Street, London WC2N 6EZ
Speakers: Simon Milton, Eddie Berg, Mr Parminder Bahra, Lord Richard Best CBE, Julie Jones OBE

Panelist details:
Julie Jones OBE, President of the Association of Directors of Social Services, Parminder Bahra, Editor of Public Agenda, The Times, Eddie Berg, Artistic Director, National Centre for the Moving Image and Lord Richard Best OBE, Director, Joseph Rowntree Foundation
Chaired by Simon Milton, Leader, Westminster City Council

Booking information:
This event is free but places must be booked in advance. Visit www.thersa.org/events or call 020 7451 6868.

Following the debates, a paper will be published and circulated Westminster wide that summarises the main arguments and conclusions.