Dowtown, Paul F: Ecopolis: architecture and cities for a changing climate

Abstract

The eruption of the volcano in Iceland has proven once again that while we have increasing control over the environment, we are becoming more dependent and painfully aware that we are at its mercy. In fact, we have been making major efforts to address this issue for almost four decades, ever since sustainability was introduced as an environmental concept. Researchers have been constructing the context for urgent action. Meanwhile, activists have been working from the bottom up, not only to raise public awareness but also to push politicians to take steps for the sake of Nature, for Mother Earth. The term ‘ecopolis’ joins two words that together capture the essence of the book. One component is ‘eco[logy]’, embracing the relationships between the air, land, water, animals, plants, etc., and the scientific study of them. The other component is ‘polis’, the ancient Greek city-state. Yet the reader should not conclude that the city-state stands for a breakthrough in ecological thinking. The thesis of the book may be summarized in terms of its stated purposes: (1) to formulate a theory for the design, development, and maintenance of ecological cities; and (2) to define a new field of action to help citizens gain power over the states and to sustain social justice. The author does not propose a new theory for the salvation of the city. Rather, he seeks to bring together and re-define what we think we already know about improving it, both ecologically and socially. Underlying these two purposes are the contours of the intended readership, namely architects, urban designers, urban planners, activists, and sociologists. But these purposes also determine the organization of the book. It is composed of two parts: the first about the design aspects of ecopolis; the second about its social structure. Chapter 1 describes the elements of ecological cities and introduces the idea of ecopolis. Chapter 2 focuses on the epistemology of urban ecology. There, the author presents a cybernetic approach, which establishes a network of relationships between architecture, urban design and planning, and ecology. Chapter 3 discusses part of the history that led to ideas and concepts about sustainable architecture and urbanism. The author treats ecology as a medium by which to combine different approaches of environmental sustainability and the built environment.