Over the past two years, Michael Geller has participated in a number of planning activities in Russia, including serving on the competition jury for Moscow's new International Financial Centre; speaking on heritage conservation and master planning in Saint Petersburg; and acting as jury chairman for a sustainable community planning competition in Kazan, Russia's 'third capital.' This lecture will present images of old and new Russia, with a focus on urban development and housing. It will include a review of Russian planning practices and potential lessons from this fascinating country. Be prepared to be surprised by what you see and hear.

Lecturer

Michael Geller is an architect, planner, real estate consultant and property developer with four decades' experience in the public, private and institutional sectors. He serves on the Adjunct Faculty of the SFU Centre for Sustainable Community Development and writes a bi-weekly civic affairs column in the Vancouver Courier. A past-president of the Urban Development Institute, he travels extensively and writes a blog at gellersworldtravel.blogspot.com.