Slade Lectures

Urban Change and Representation

Esther da Costa Meyer

Slade Professor of Fine Art, 2026

How do we know what we know about cities? Enmeshed in transnational networks, cities are always in flux, subject to constant social, cultural, and economic change. The history of architecture relies on documents––texts, images, maps––that are never value free and largely reflect the points of view of those in power. Moreover, every year lost sources come to light, troubling and sometimes contradicting our interpretations and engendering new perspectives. Contemporary scholarship requires that we reassess our tools, include other voices, analyze spatial inequalities and the ways diverse populations experienced urban space. Focusing on cities in different continents, from the nineteenth century to the present day, these lectures will probe the political and ideological implications embedded in our carefully curated architectural histories and methodologies.

Image credit: Nelson Kon