Rapid urban growth is occurring in many countries across the globe, particularly in the developing world; over 50 percent of the worlds population now lives in urban areas, and this percentage is expected to increase. Many experts have expressed concerns about sustainability, quality of life and even cultural identity in urban environments, due to factors such as loss of open space and the uniformity brought about by consumerism and globalization.
This book brings together over twenty papers describing current thinking on landscape planning/design, architecture and the built environment. A key topic discussed in the book is sustainability, including the role of ecotourism in sustainable development, and a case study on sustainable urban design in Saudi Arabia. Another topic emphasized in the book is the incorporation of green spaces such as vertical gardens, greenways and allotment gardens into the urban landscape; these take up less space than conventional parks but still mitigate the problem of urban heat islands and in some cases allow the pursuit of leisure activities.
This book will be of interest to people studying, working or researching in any relevant discipline, including town planning, architecture, urban landscape design and tourism.
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