Ecopolis

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.

1. The Ground Plan.- 2. An Epistemology for Urban Ecology.- 3. Architecture, Urbanism and Ecological Perspectives.- 4. Weavers of Theory.- 5. The Aesthetics of Ecopolis.- 6. Finding Fractals: Identifying Elements of the Ecopolis.- 7. Building Fractals: Ecopolis Projects in Australia.- 8. Synthesis I: City Ecology.- 9. Synthesis II: ABC of EcoDevelopment.- 10. Synthesis III: Education, Advocacy and Activism.- 11. Synthesis IV: The SHED - Sustainable Human Ecological Development.- 12. Our Cities, Our Selves.