Tutors – Finn Mackesy and Gary Marshall

Is the term ‘sustainable city’ an oxymoron? Is it really possible to live sustainably in an urban environment? Through the lens of international best practice examples this workshop explores what an ecologically and socially regenerative bioregion could look like. Using an interactive, 3-dimensional board game, participants will apply the day’s learning to the design of an ecologically regenerative urban environment. This design activity will capture a range of densities, from rural lifestyle blocks through to apartment living and explore the interconnections between these different settlement patterns.

Course content

Introduction to - Settlement patterns and design; Inter-relationships between cities and their bioregion; Layout and integration of urban environments including public space, transport and circulation, housing, communication networks, energy supply and distribution, urban waste cycles, landscape and urban ecology, economic systems, urban food production, and storm water, waste water and potable water management; and Practical design activity.

Learning objectives

• Develop an understanding of what constitutes an urban environment
• Develop an understanding of the relationship between the city and its bioregion
• Develop an understanding of how the physical structure of urban environments shape our lives
• Identify opportunities and challenges to applying the day's learning