The China Design Centre put forward Steven Bee as the keynote speaker at the  ‘Talk to Architects 2015’ conference in Shanghai on 13th Nov. Held at Shanghai National Conference and Exhibition Centre, the conference’s theme was ‘Metamorphosis: Urban Renovation and Culture Heritage in an Era of Sustainability’. Steven Bee is the Chairman of The Academy of Urbanism, and the Principal of Steven Bee Urban Counsel.

Bee’s talk focused on how to regenerate culture heritage in a sustainable way and was based on UK projects in places like Oxford Castle, Buxton Spa, Trafalgar square, Kings Cross Central and Bath. He concluded that historic places can have layers of history within them and a variety of heritage values. Understanding their ‘time-depth’ helps us to appreciate and value our inheritance and can guide the way we may use them in future. Sometimes the changes become their most important feature. These can tell us how lifestyles and technology have advanced and encourage us to see further change as positive, as long we retain what is most important.