Creative Reuse of Cities

Jiří Richter — Design Director, CHYBIK + KRISTOF

At FABER Forum 2025, Jiří Richter presented a forward-looking vision for how cities can evolve without losing their soul.

In his talk, Creative Reuse of Cities, he explored how existing buildings, forgotten spaces, and overlooked materials can be transformed into meaningful, contemporary places that serve new social and cultural needs — while still respecting the stories embedded in the urban fabric.

Drawing on the work of CHYBIK + KRISTOF, Richter showcased how adaptive reuse, circular design principles, and carefully calibrated architectural interventions can bring new energy to aging districts without erasing their identity.

Rather than seeing old structures as obstacles, he framed them as opportunities — carriers of memory, material, and meaning — capable of becoming active parts of a city’s future. His lecture offered a powerful reminder that sustainable urban transformation is often about reimagining what already exists, not starting from zero.