Cities should be more efficient.... right?
In reading Mostafavi's Ecological Urbanism article, I kept thinking to myself, "why are cities inefficient?" Am I naive to think that cities should be more efficient? Cities are the result of the industrial revolution and the desire for efficiency. They are a result of the desire to increase efficiency for manufacturing, markets, and commerce. Mostafavi criticizes the current attitude for improving the city as merely a reduction in consumption. Would this consumption be less if we lived in Wright's Braodacre City?
So where does ecology fit in to this problem?
People consume. People in cities consume what's around them, designed or not. The logical conclusion would be that introducing integrated ecological, cross disciplinary designed spaces into the urban fabric results in less adverse consumption. So how are ecological spaces more efficient? Do they allow for people to get their need for the natural in the city without having to leave? Do they promote a lifestyle more in tune with the earth? A lifestyle that's less damaging to the environment?
So where does ecology fit in to this problem?
People consume. People in cities consume what's around them, designed or not. The logical conclusion would be that introducing integrated ecological, cross disciplinary designed spaces into the urban fabric results in less adverse consumption. So how are ecological spaces more efficient? Do they allow for people to get their need for the natural in the city without having to leave? Do they promote a lifestyle more in tune with the earth? A lifestyle that's less damaging to the environment?
This is a very cool post. The idea of "The Efficient city" leads us to believe the way to create a more efficient society is to integrate ecological, green spaces into the urban fabric. I would say that doing this would promote a lifestyle more in tune with the earth and create a mindset in people that is much more environmentally driven; one that allows them to see and appreciate the ecological nature of those spaces and repeat that mindset for other spaces throughout the city.
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ReplyDeleteI agree with this idea. Statistic proves it. New districts in very dense cities and any redevelopment of the existing urban environment attracts people when some public green spaces are planned. But again, while people agree to live and buy small concrete boxes in the city or remote boxes depending on their precious cars, any developer/government will provide mostly what they buy. Market defines. I am still wondering where architects are in this story?
ReplyDeleteGreat post... I wonder if the concept of a green, efficient, and highly vegetative but yet densely urban space is just another utopia that will always be out of reach. As designers the desire and ambition to reach this utopia will certainly produce fantastic architectures and ideas.
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