PLANNING FOR AN URBAN WORLD: THE DESIGN OF RESOURCE-CONSERVING CITIES

The stated purpose of this book is "to introduce a major reformulation of city planning that will soon be needed." A biological analogy is used as the most appropriate way to describe the dynamics of the growth of urban concentrations during a period of decreasing resources. Cities are modeled as living systems in various states of internal health and disease, and in shifting ecological balance with other populations at the rural, urban, and national scale. The city itself is viewed as an ecosystem of interacting populations which processes inputs of raw materials, energy, and information to produce self- sustenance and material and cultural outputs, which in turn serve to vitalize the life of other communities. Overall the book is a realistic examination of the economics and politics of scarcity. It describes the forms of social organization required to adapt to the technologies that overcome scarcity. A number of "scenarios" are presented throughout the discussion, and the book concludes with a detailed outline of the characteristics required for steady-state urbanism.

• Corporate Authors:

  Massachusetts Institute of Technology Press

  55 Haywood Street
  Cambridge, MA  United States  02142-1493
• Authors:
  • Meier, R L
• Publication Date: 1974-5

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Tables;
• Pagination: 515 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Cities; City planning; Conservation; Ecology; Economics; Energy resources; Natural resources; Politics; Social factors; Time; Urban population
• Uncontrolled Terms: Energy crisis; Space
• Subject Areas: Economics; Energy; Environment; Highways; Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00099731
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Sep 30 1975 12:00AM