Sustainable Urbanism: Urban Design With Nature (Hardcover)

by Douglas Farr (Author)
Key Phrases: neighborhood development, design index, sidewalk sign, United States, Project Highlights, Key Sustainable Urbanism Thresholds (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"A masterpiece, it combines good writing with a thorough treatment of the subject." (The Bernard Place Bee Line, 4/22/08)

"It's not immediately obvious how Doug Farr's new book differs from the many other books in this field, aside from having a laudatory preface by Andres Duany. His careful division of the case studies into built greenfield, unbuilt greenfield, built infill, and unbuilt infill, should be a clue. It's also nice that he offiers a fairly specific definition of the s-word. Farr's book is distinguished by his systematic determination to reveal the trade secrets of sustainable design-those rules of thumb that bridge the gap between woolly generalities and highly specific case studies." (BuildingCommunities.com, February 1, 2008)

"A broadly-focused and solutions-based look at environmentally sustainable urban design. Case studies and essays written by Farr and others give a real-world context to the ideas and methods espoused in this ambitious argument on behalf of a new type urban design and development that is interrelated with nature." (Planetizen.com; 1/29/08)

"The author of Sustainable Urbanism wants to break down barriers between nature-focused environmentalists and human-focused urbanists. The book asserts that we need a radical change in how we live, not just for the health of our planet, but for ourselves. The author's ambitious goal is to make sustainable urbanism the dominant pattern of human settlement by 2030. This book is a valuable resource for anyone that is in a position to advance a more organic way of life that is more in tune with the environment." (Vector 1 Magazine, January 6, 2008)

"Sustainable Urbanism is important because it addresses the sustainable development issue from all sides and provides solutions across the vast array of disciplines that create the built environment. The book…should be a resource not just for developers...but also for city councils, mayors, governors, engineers, and voters." (Urban Land, 1/08)

"Beyond just developing a concept, however, the book acts as a comprehensive how-to manual for anyone who helps shape the environment...after setting the stage with a compelling case for sustainable urbanism, Farr provides specific and detailed standards and steps to guide readers." (Environmental News Network, 12/21/07)

"There is something for everyone in Sustainable Urbanism, the new book that tackles exactly what the title implies. Backed by an impressive range of research, tables, charts, it is a comprehensive look at how to make our development pattern more sustainable." (Joe Urban Blog, 12/07)

"Chicago architect Douglas Farr is no Le Corbusier--Who is?--yet his thoughtful new book is propelled by the same sort of visionary energy and desire to integrate architecture, city planning and nature for a better way of life. Here's the twist: Whereas Le Corbusier celebrated the car, Farr fingers it as a prime factor in creating today's sprawling, auto-dependent suburbs and all the lifestyle woes, like rising levels of obesity, they've supposedly wrought. While that's a familiar rant from the New Urbanist architects who call for compact, walkable communities, Farr wisely goes beyond them, urging a grand integration of the New Urbanism and the fledgling green building movement." (Chicago Tribune, December 2007)

"What makes his volume stand out is that it combines expertise in New Urbanism with a thorough understanding of environmental issues and techniques. The result is the most comprehensive, technically informed volume available on how to design and build places that are environmentally responsible and also gratifying to inhabit." (New Urban News, December 2007)

"makes excellent use of physical case studies, it is also concerned with the intangible forces that shape our cities…" (Building Design, Friday 15th February 2008)

Product Description
Written by the chair of the LEED-Neighborhood Development (LEED-ND) initiative, Sustainable Urbanism: Urban Design with Nature is both an urgent call to action and a comprehensive introduction to "sustainable urbanism"--the emerging and growing design reform movement that combines the creation and enhancement of walkable and diverse places with the need to build high-performance infrastructure and buildings.

Providing a historic perspective on the standards and regulations that got us to where we are today in terms of urban lifestyle and attempts at reform, Douglas Farr makes a powerful case for sustainable urbanism, showing where we went wrong, and where we need to go. He then explains how to implement sustainable urbanism through leadership and communication in cities, communities, and neighborhoods. Essays written by Farr and others delve into such issues as:

• Increasing sustainability through density.
• Integrating transportation and land use.
• Creating sustainable neighborhoods, including housing, car-free areas, locally-owned stores, walkable neighborhoods, and universal accessibility.
• The health and environmental benefits of linking humans to nature, including walk-to open spaces, neighborhood stormwater systems and waste treatment, and food production.
• High performance buildings and district energy systems.

Enriching the argument are in-depth case studies in sustainable urbanism, from BedZED in London, England and Newington in Sydney, Australia, to New Railroad Square in Santa Rosa, California and Dongtan, Shanghai, China. An epilogue looks to the future of sustainable urbanism over the next 200 years.

At once solidly researched and passionately argued, Sustainable Urbanism is the ideal guidebook for urban designers, planners, and architects who are eager to make a positive impact on our--and our descendants'--buildings, cities, and lives.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Wiley (November 16, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 047177751X
• ISBN-13: 978-0471777519
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 8.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #107,897 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars more a general guidebook for professionals than a text, April 2, 2008

By	Moe Hong (Arlington, VA) - See all my reviews

Thank god for the current trend toward the generalization of textbooks.

I don't mean generalization in the sense of broadening or watering-down of subject matter, but rather in writing: many more texts in relatively technical fields are being written so that they can be appreciated interdisciplinarily, but professionals in related and sometimes even slightly-unrelated fields, and other folks who may simply be interested in the topic. It's good marketing, too, of course - it opens up much larger markets both academically and professionally, and as long as the book contains enough authority to convince instructors and professionals to purchase (or trust) it, it's a win-win situation for the publisher and author as well as the audience.

Douglas Farr's Sustainable Urbanism: Urban Design With Nature (Wiley, 2008; foreword by Andres Duany) falls into the category of win-win for everyone. A very well-illustrated primer on the subject, it appeals to planners, architects, landscape designers, engineers and other folks interested in integrating their work into the larger natural environment.

Duany - the great architect and urban planner whose work with Arquitectonica shaped what we think of as "Florida modern" and whose current firm, DPZ, has become a de facto leader of the New Urbanism movement - suggests that the problem with such books is often that they most often fail to engage the reader in any kind of dialogue by simply being too technical, or by failing to instruct by simply being too exhortative and dogmatic. Luckily, Farr gives more than enough data and instruction in the dozen linked essays and case studies to instruct - but never loses sight of the fact that he's along with us for the ride, not talking at us but at our elbow, learning along with us, sharing both successes and failures and an honest interest in building communities that complement, rather than exclude, the unmanufactured world.

There's so much more here than just part one's "Case for Sustainable Urbanism." Other sections focus on the type of leadership and communication strategies most helpful in implementing both small and large-scale projects; technical tools and special techniques for community involvement are also explored extensively. Other chapters discuss the role of density, how to approach corridor situations, diagramming neighborhoods and the various types of housing that complement specific types of neighborhoods, "biophilia" - including everything from designing walkable streets to integrating wastewater management - and extensive essays on high-performance buildings and infrastructure. The last section of the book is given over to case studies, which both illustrate the preceding chapters with easy-to-understand real-world examples of sustainable success stories & offer solutions for those of us slogging through similar projects or at an impasse with a particular audience.

I recommend the book without hesitation to any planner interested in integrating sustainable projects in urban infill or exurban growth environments, as well as other aficionados of new urbanism topics. It's an entertaining read AND a necessary reference; it will replace several books on the already-overloaded shelves of a number of planners I know.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great new book combining "Green" Development with new urbanism, March 13, 2008

By	Craig H. Hullinger (Peoria, Illinois) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Chicago City Planning Consultant Doug Farr has written a great book, Sustainable Urbanism: Urban Design with Nature.

Farr combines new urbanism with green development in a clear and logical manner. He believes that "sustainable urbanism" is more than designing new Leed certified green buildings. It also includes the creation of green sustainable neighborhoods, and includes plans for sustainable urban development. He combines the strategies and principles of new urbanism with environmental improvements very well.

Farr explains the evolution of the design reform movement. He outlines strategies on how to lead and promote sustainable urbanism.

Doug Farr did an outstanding on form based codes for our neighboring communities of Bloomington and Normal, Illinois, and in developing plans that enhanced the environment while creating new urban space. I strongly recommend this book.

Craig Hullinger AICP City of Peoria, Director, Economic Development

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best academic urban design books out there., September 21, 2008

By	Debra L. Carter "Cardia Designs" (Las vegas, NV USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I'm a UNLV Landscape architect student (4th yr) and this book has been used as one of the text books for two classes so far, design studio, and urban land use. The concepts all relate to sustaining our planets resources and lowering our urban footprint. It presents the concepts from historical, present and future view. It has many illustrations,and is a terrific reference book.