CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 7 INTRODUCTION 9 The Urban Habitat 19 A CANVAS FOR ARCHITECTURE 19 Universal cultural needs 19 Cultural needs and urban space 21 The urban ecosystem 24 Socio-spatial patterning 27 Movement corridors and destinations 32 Directions in Architecture37 Characterisation 37 Cultural Rhythms56 RESPONSE TO LIFESTYLE 56 Spaces that liberate 56 Sense of community 58 Optimum norms for shared streets64 Busy streets and pedestrians 64 Outdoor urban life 66 Security through the presence of others67 Territorial needs 69 Commercial opportunity 69 Space for information marketing and jobs 71 Recreational needs 73 Urban culture and natural regimes 74 Urban Design in Response 75 THE POTENTIAL CATALYST75 Urban spatial systems 77 Movement corridors 78 Meaningful urban space 80 URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES 82 Public squares free of buildings 83 Shape and size criteria for public squares 84 Visual closure and visual order 86 Planned outdoor amenities 88 Places to linger 90 Controls on sun and wild 91 Pedestrian density in a public area 92 Pedestrians-only streets 95 The residential/public interface95 Pollution-free spaces 96 SENSE OF PLACE AND SPACE 98 A sense of neighbourhood100 Clusters 101 Common space 104 Personal space 104 OPTIMUM USER LEVELS 106 Sustainable density options106 The courtyard houses 106 Small stands 108 Density test criteria 110 URBAN IMPRINTS ON NATURAL REGIMES 111 Conserve ecological diversity 112 Biogeographical principles114 Offset geomorphic impacts 116 Sensory Attributes 121 PROPORTION AND SCALE 121 Proportion and aesthetics123 Human-related scale124 Movement affecting proportion and scale125 COLOUR AND TEXTURE 126 Colour terminology 128 Colour systems130 Modifying properties of texture 130 Notion of 'noticeable difference' 133 Architecture in Response 135 THE CONTEXTUAL EDGE 135 Active building fronts 136 Building edge design 137 Architectural protocol 138 Contemporary into traditional settings 139 Sense of place 141 Conservation 146 SUSTAINABLE DESIGN 148 Respect for the site152 Working with the climate 155 Checklist for energy-conserving design158 SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION 166 Minimise resource consumption 169 Maximise resource reuse and recyling 171 LANDSCAPING THE ENVIRONMENT 172 PROTECT THE NATURE ENVIRONMENT176 Conserve site biodiversity177 Permaculture - living design 177 HOLISM IN ARCHITECTURE DESIGN 178 End user and the design process 180 Green principles and techonology advance180 Sound aesthetic principles182 ORGANIC DESIGN IN ARCHITECTURE183 Fractal geometry 185 Fractal geomentry and architectural design189 On Environmental Economics 194 PROFIT THROUGH CONSERVATION 194 Blueprint for a green economy 197 APPLICATION OF ECONOMIC PRINCIPLES 206 The user-pays principles 206 The pay back principles208 The Timeless Way 212 Appendices214-219 Bibliography and Photographic Sources220-222 Index223-224