February 14, 2012 — Architect and historian Michele Lamprakos will give a lecture Feb. 17 at the University of Virginia's School of Architecture on "Urban Heritage in the 21st Century." The talk, which is free and open to the public, begins at 5:30 p.m. in Campbell Hall, room 158.

In contrast to the gentrified historic centers of Europe and the U.S., old quarters in less-developed parts of the world continue to be marginalized – dwarfed by sprawling megacities and bypassed by modern life. What does urban heritage mean for the inhabitants of these places? What relevance does the past have for the future? Lamprakos' lecture will explore such questions, considering the experience of Sana'a, Yemen, and other sites.

Lamprakos specializes in cultural heritage and the Islamic world. She lectures at the School of Architecture, Preservation, and Planning at the University of Maryland-College Park, and is owner of PALIMPSEST LLC, a design and consulting firm dedicated to rethinking older buildings and sites.

This lecture is sponsored by the Thomas Jefferson Society of Architectural Historians.