Ecopolis: Architecture and Cities for a Changing Climate

by Paul F. Downton

Overview

From 2008, for the first time in human history, half of the world’s population now live in cities. Yet despite a wealth of literature on green architecture and planning, there is to date no single book which draws together theory from the full range of disciplines - from architecture, planning and ecology - which we must come to grips with if we are to design future cities which are genuinely sustainable.

Paul Downton’s Ecopolis takes a major step along this path. It highlights the urgent need to understand the role of cities as both agents of change and means of survival, at a time when climate change has finally grabbed world attention, and it provides a framework for designing cities that integrates knowledge - both academic and practical - from a range of relevant disciplines.

Identifying key theorists, practitioners, places and philosophies, the book provides a solid theoretical context which introduces the concept of urban fractals, and goes on to present a series of design and planning tools for achieving Sustainable Human Ecological Development (SHED). Combining knowledge from diverse fields to present a synthesis of urban ecology, the book will provide a valuable resource for students, researchers and practitioners in architecture, construction, planning, geography and the traditional life sciences.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9789402413120
Publisher:	Springer Netherlands
Publication date:	03/28/2019
Series:	Future City , #1
Edition description:	Softcover reprint of the original 1st ed. 2009
Pages:	607
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.25(h) x (d)

Table of Contents

Illustrations xiii

Foreword xix

Introduction: The City Is My University 1

Part I Propositions, Theory and Practice

I People, Places and Philosophies 13

1 The Ground Plan 19

1.1 The Idea of Ecopolis 19

1.2 The Ecopolis Propositions 25

1.3 Setting Contexts - Places and People 32

2 An Epistemology for Urban Ecology 41

2.1 An Heuristic Hybrid? 41

2.2 Further Words on Architecture and Ecology 51

2.3 Towards Sustainable Human Ecological Development 55

2.4 Romantic Science 59

3 Architecture, Urbanism and Ecological Perspectives 65

3.1 Points of view 65

3.2 Integration 70

3.3 A Sense of Place 78

3.4 Taking the Long View 83

3.5 Changing Places 85

4 Weavers of Theory 87

4.1 Picture People - Visionaries and Utopians 91

4.2 Process People - Understanding the Nature of Cities 105

4.3 Pattern People - Putting the Pieces Together 127

4.4 Pragmatic People - Getting from 'Here' to 'There' 141

4.5 Principled People 145

4.6 Village People and New Urbanists 148

4.7 Political People - Energy, Structure and Citizenship 152

5 The Aesthetics of Ecopolis 159

5.1 Altered States 159

5.2 Diversity of Form and Expression 162

5.3 Appearances Do Count 170

5.4 Biophilia 172

5.5 Cultural Filters 176

6 Finding Fractals: Identifying Elements of the Ecocity 179

6.1 Agenda 21, Environment Plans and Sustainability 179

6.2 New Urbanism and Sustainable Houses 182

6.3 Ecocities and Green Urbanism in the U.S.A. 184

6.4 EcoUrbanism in Europe 193

6.5 Bits and Pieces in 'Less Developed' Countries 202

6.6 Around the World in Many Ways 205

6.7 South America - 'Ecocity' Curitiba 207

6.8 England's Rural Urbanism 210

6.9 An Ecocity in the MiddleEast 215

6.10 Ecocities in China 217

7 Building Fractals: Ecopolis Projects in Australia 221

7.1 Ecocity Organisation 221

7.2 Urban Ecology Australia 222

7.3 Fractal 1: The Halifax EcoCity Project 228

7.4 Fractal 2: The Whyalla EcoCity Development 252

7.5 Fractal 3: Christie Walk 279

7.6 Fractal Dreaming 296

Colour Plates 313

Part II Towards a Theoretical Synthesis

II Rebuilding the Foundations 349

8 Synthesis I: City Ecology 355

8.1 Structures of Life 356

8.2 The Mindful Organism 370

8.3 The Nature of Cities 374

8.4 Habitats and Design Guidelines for Non-Human Species 378

8.5 Restore Degraded Land - Adaptive and Regenerative Urbanism 389

8.6 Create Compact Cities 395

8.7 Provide Health and Security 401

8.8 Optimise Energy and Resource Use 407

8.9 Balance Development 410

9 Synthesis II: EcoDevelopment 415

9.1 The Power of Limits 415

9.2 Invisible structures 418

9.3 Encourage Community - Democracy and Citizenship 426

9.4 Promote Social Justice and Equity 433

9.5 Contribute to the Economy 440

9.6 Enrich History and Culture 444

9.7 Fit the Bioregion 446

10 Synthesis III: Education, Advocacy and Activism 453

10.1 Agents of Change 453

10.2 Media: Getting the Message Out 455

10.3 Exhibitionism: Ecopolis Now! 457

10.4 Running Barefoot 458

10.5 Education and Community 469

10.6 Thinking Machines 471

10.7 Shadow Plans 475

10.8 The City as the Basis of Social Action 481

10.9 The Ecopolitan iPod 484

10.10 Sound Bites, Fashion and Cultural Change 488

11 Synthesis IV: The SHED Sustainable Human Ecological Development 491

11.1 Building a SHED 491

11.2 Charter of Calcutta 494

11.3 The Icons 494

11.4 SHED Navigation Matrix, or Concordance 497

11.5 The Seven Steps of SHEDding 498

11.6 The Ecopolis Development Principles 508

11.7 The Frogstick 519

12 Our Cities, Our Selves 535

12.1 The Keys to the City 535

12.2 Our Cities, Our Selves 538

12.3 Evolutionary Cities 540

12.4 After Words 548

Appendix 1 My Favourite Thought Experiment 551

Appendix 2 Density and Urban Villages 553

Appendix 3 City Size: the Case of Somerset and Adelaide 557

Appendix 4 Adelaide, Calcutta and the Western Comfort Zone 559

Appendix 5 Charter for a New Municipium 561

Acknowledgments 563

Bibliography 567

Index 599

Editorial Reviews

From the reviews:

"The book is an impressive, albeit lengthy, dissection and re-evaluation of current ecological models for city planning, one which will certainly cater more to the academics than the practitioners of sustainability. Given the extensive research and case studies this book is an important resource for all who are interested in looking at the bigger picture of sustainable issues in the city and architecture." (Thomas Wong, Futurarc, July, 2009)

"Paul’s bug was bigger than academic politics and his desire to educate was the world not the campus. And indeed that’s exactly what he’s doing with his new book ‘Ecopolis.’ Not only educating, but educating about what’s most important. … Perfect for post docs in the field and field workers in the doc’s office … . Perfect for all restless minds probing what’s the meaning of building these here cities in the first place. … It’s stuffed with illustrations, photos, charts and references … ." (Richard Register, Ecocities Emerging, September, 2009)

“The book was first published in Australia where the author lives. … Architecture, planning and ecology are interwoven. In this book, both theory and practice have been elaborated with knowledge, skill, and experience. Large number of coloured plates, black and white illustration, a good bibliography and many other items of academic and professional importance enrich this volume.” (Built Environment, Issue 23, January-December, 2009)

From the Publisher