by Kay Pallaris The design of the built environment can have a profound impact on perception, place identity and place experience – all important qualities for thriving neighbourhoods and places. Conversely, design of places can detrimentally impact human health, often in subtle ways on a physiological and psychological level. A seminar series entitled “Feeling Good […] read more
by Sara Bissen I. 1947, A “Day of Reckoning”—The Central Planning Board of the City of Newark, New Jersey Addresses the Citizens of Newark[1] Newark’s 1947 Master Plan, completed after a decade of population decline (1930–1940) and a decrease in real estate value, noted a “downward trend” that “must be arrested by undertaking privately financed large […] read more
by Sinan Logie “Naturally, we were all there,—old Qwfwq said,—where else could we have been? Nobody knew then that there could be space. Or time either: what use did we have for time, packed in there like sardines? I say ‘packed like sardines,’ using a literary image: in reality there wasn’t even space to pack […] read more
by Stefano Serafini “What if, instead of breaking them, the design of cities could naturally feed social ties? There must be a way for urban planners to make cities more human-centred and livable, by focusing on how the built environment affects sociality.” ABSTRACT The International Society of Biourbanism (ISB) is organizing a Summer school in […] read more
A Theoretical issue for Urban and Architectural Design by Tatjana Capuder Vidmar Abstract “We must now discover how to do more with less, how to successfully design with nature, and how to ecologically design our communities. . .” (1) This article, with its insight into the history of Western European spatial development, will attempt to demonstrate […] read more
by Antonio Caperna and Eleni Tracada Biourbanism introduces new conceptual and planning models for a new kind of city, valuing social and economical regeneration of the built environment through developing and healthy communities. Thus, it combines technical aspects, such as zero-emission, energy efficiency, information technology, etc. and the promotion of social sustainability and human well being. […] read more
Designing in the Dark: multi-sensorial workshop reconnecting designers with visually impaired end-users The title ‘Designing in the Dark’ does not point to the rich and layered world of experience of persons that are blind, but on the contrary to the unknown and uncertain design attitude of designers without visual impairments. Ignorance and insecurity among architects, […] read more
Ruin Academy starts operating in Artena (Rome, Italy) in co-operation with the International Society of Biourbanism Artena (Rome), 20th July 2013, 6:00 pm Opening ceremony with Marco Casagrande (Founder of Ruin Academy) Stefano Serafini (Research Director of International Society of Biourbanism) As the launching event we will present our new book: “BIOURBAN ACUPUNCTURE – […] read more
by Nikos A. Salingaros Techne Press, Amsterdam, Holland: 252 pages. This monograph introduces the unifying notion of the network city to understand urban phenomena as components of a complex system, using concepts such as “fractal loading” and the brain-computer analogy. Scientific principles underlying urban form surprisingly support traditional concepts of urban planning. “Urban coherence” links […] read more
by Nikos A. Salingaros “Traditional architecture and urbanism require a sense of modesty and humility from the individual creator towards the sacred creation of the universe, as well as a basic intuition that concepts of beauty, harmony, justice, truth, and rightness are permanent and universal” — Lucien Steil. For the past few years, I have […] read more