Recombinant Urbanism: Conceptual Modeling in Architecture, Urban Design And City Theory

This book provides a simple but comprehensive framework for theemerging academic discipline of urban design, from its origins inEurope and America, to contemporary issues of imagery, finance andmarketing in an age of globalisation There is currently no contemporary textbook for urban designthat includes a general history and theory of the subject.Internationally, urban design is more and more becoming a coresubject taught in architecture schools. The AIA (US) and the RIBA(UK) both require undergraduates and graduates to study the urbandimension of architectural design. On a wider scale, in Europe, theEU is developing a common architectural curriculum, which includesan urban component for under-graduates. The situation is similar inschools across Asia and Australia.Aimed at both students and teachers, this book provides a simpleand accessible framework, from the origins of urban design and themain techniques developed to deal with the design of fragments ofcities, to participatory planning processes, codes, imagery,finance and marketing. Finally, it proposes an innovative vision ofcontemporary practice based on the work of leading actors andprojects in the field.This book is set to become the key textbook at undergraduateand graduate levelsIt is written in an accessible and direct tone, and highlyillustrated with many colour and black and white diagramsIt includes a general history and theory of urban design andprovides an up-to-date account of contemporary urbanconditionsPraise for Recombinant Urbanism:"Documents a major intellectual advance…eagerly awaitedby academics and practitioners all around the world…should become a standard text for schools of architectureand urbanism." Leon Van Schaik, Innovation Professorof Architecture, RMIT, Australia " …both unique and instrumentally positive. The book is the result of many years of research and writing, andis a small masterpiece in urban studies.  It has alreadyproved its worth in the teaching of urban studies, at Columbia, theAA, the Bartlett School, and Cooper Union, to mention only a few ofthe universities where Dr Shane has had a powerful influence...Itis, indeed, one of the very best manuscripts I have read in thefield in the last few years."  Anthony Vidler,Professor and Dean, Irwin S Chanin School of Architecture, CooperUnion, New York, USA"I can say without hesitation that I fully endorseGrahame’s work…the issues it covers are highly topicaland such a book would indeed be widely read by architecturestudents, urban designers and planners." Colin Fournier,Professor of Architecture &Urbanism, Bartlett School ofArchitecture, UCL, UK"Of great necessity for undergraduate and postgraduatestudents, scientists and professionals in urban planning and design[This] publication will certainly inspire work with city models ina wide range of practice." Henrik W Jensen, AssociateProfessor in Town Planning, Aarhus School of Architecture, TheNetherlands"A very important book.  Shane … has made legibleand sensible the reams of recent urban discourse for a generalcollege reader. Because of this labor-intensive effort, this bookwill be accessible by undergrad architecture programs as well asgraduate seminars in urban design and planning. Additionally thereis a big interest in UD and UP theory in ecology and social sciencenow, and because of Grahame’s generous writing style the bookwill cross over to these other disciplines. … I can alsospeak to the international interest in this book; … againShane has made important urban theories and thinking more widelyavailable to an international student audience. … The legacythe book will have (will be in) convincing people that the designof cities matters, not in the overbearing and over-controllingsense of new urbanism, but in reinforcing the multiplepossibilities of contemporary life.   Brian McGrath,Adjunct Associate Professor of Architecture, Columbia University,USA