The Kansas City Public Library welcomes architecture critic Ulf Meyer to discuss Cities of the Pacific Century on Thursday, August 27, at 6:30 p.m. at the Central Library, 14 W. 10th St.

Meyer will discuss his experiences touring prominent Asian mega-cities—such as Beijing, Shanghai, Taipei, Tokyo, and Jakarta—that have given rise to the notion of the 21st century as "The Century of the Pacific."

Runaway economic development and urban population explosion along the Asian Pacific coast pose new problems that could require global solutions. Already faced with changing cultural and environmental conditions, some established mega-cities are still awaiting a big development thrust.

Meyer holds a master's degree in architecture from the Technical University of Berlin and has published more than 1,000 articles on urban design and architecture. He has lectured at universities in Europe and the United States, including Kansas State University and the University of Kansas.