RTPI in Scotland's Annual Sir Patrick Geddes Commemorative Lecture

27-May-09

The Sir Patrick Geddes Commemorative Lecture is held annually by RTPI in Scotland and the Saltire Society. Geddes is widely regarded as the founder of modern town planning. Born in 1854, his interest in the natural sciences led him to a professorship in botany at the University of Dundee, after which he developed his interest in sociology and town planning.

He lived most of his life in Edinburgh during which he established the Edinburgh Social Union; promoted a wide range of sympathetic redevelopment and conservation schemes the length of the Royal Mile, largely for university residential accommodation; founded a publishing company; founded the Franco-Scottish Society; became a major sponsor of the arts; developed summer schools; promoted international festivals; published seminal texts such as Cities in Evolution. He also spent time in India as Chair in Sociology at Bombay University and planned the Hebrew University at Jerusalem.

He finally retired to France where he founded the College des Ecossais in Montpellier. He was knighted in the year of his death in 1932.

The first lecture was held in 2004 to coincide with the 150th anniversary of Geddes' birth.

2009 Lecture

Patrick Geddes and the Scottish Generalist Tradition

... given by Murdo Macdonald, Professor of History of Scottish Art, University of Dundee at the Royal Society of Edinburgh on Wednesday 20th May 2009.

The full text of the lecture can be downloaded here

Details of previous lectures 2004-08

2008

Dr Harry Burns, Scotland's Chief Medical Officer - The Biological Consequences of Living in Adverse Circumstances ... presently unavailable but the issues raised are discussed in the CMO's latest Annual Report, Health in Scotland 2006

2007

Richard Wakeford - Wanted: Visionary planners to apply levers for a sustainable world

2006

Greg Lloyd - Planning and the Public Interest

2005

Raymond Young - Cities in Devolution

2004

Jonathon Porritt - Sustainable Development past and present

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