As part of KPF’s global 50th anniversary celebrations, the Evolution of Urban Districts symposium and exhibition brought experts in city making together to discuss the development of urban areas, exploring how cities can remain resilient, equitable, and engaging as they evolve. 

When KPF was founded in New York in 1976, many of the world’s established cities were at a low point. New York was emerging from fiscal crisis, London’s docks were in decline, and waterfronts and former industrial areas around the world were being abandoned. 

The 50 years since have seen an extraordinary urban resurgence. Central business districts have been reinvented, waterfronts regenerated and new centres of economic, cultural and civic life have emerged across Asia, the Middle East, and the Global South. 

KPF’s own history has unfolded alongside this transformation. Marking the firm’s 50th anniversary, “The Evolution of Urban Districts” symposium at NLA’s London Centre brought together architects, developers and city leaders to consider what five decades of urban change can teach us about the future of cities. 

KPF President and Principal James von Klemperer opened the evening with examples from the firm’s portfolio, exploring recurring principles of successful urbanism including density, connectivity, human scale and purpose. He reflected on the “momentum that districts develop from one project to another” and how individual projects can contribute to “a much bigger, positive cycle of urban change”. 

The discussion that followed, moderated by Julie Steinberg of the Financial Times, explored how these principles are evolving in response to changing patterns of work, climate, culture and growth. 

KPF Principal Forth Bagley reflected on the shift from office-dominated CBDs towards mixed-use centres, noting that cities with more social amenities recovered fastest from the COVID shutdowns, with activity returning after 5pm and at weekends. 

Selina Mason, Director of Masterplanning & Strategic Design at Lendlease, stressed that change should not mean losing sight of established principles of city-making. “Humanity has been very good at creating great cities, and we know what works about a good city,” she said, highlighting the importance of places for cultural, social and economic exchange. 

Long-term stewardship was another recurring theme. Drawing on experience in Hong Kong, Miami, and the Middle East, Kieran Bowers of Qiddiya discussed the value of a generational approach to mixed-use development and the potential for ideas to travel between cities. Techniques developed for the Climate Ribbon at Brickell City Centre in Miami, for example, are now informing approaches to pedestrian comfort in the Middle East. 

Katie Stewart brought the perspective of the City of London, where transformation happens incrementally within an established urban fabric. She described how the City is working “with the grain of development and the existing fabric”, including using thermal modelling to understand how new development affects the microclimate and spaces between buildings. 

Across the discussion, a common idea emerged: successful districts are not static, but evolve over time. The ability to learn from different cities while responding to the culture, climate and character of each place will be increasingly important as we look towards the next 50 years. 

The symposium accompanied the KPF50 exhibition at NLA, which explores these ideas through five decades of KPF’s work in districts around the world.