ABSTRACT
This book is the outcome of a process of discussion among the authors, a consequence of a realization that although they belonged to different disciplinary backgrounds with different approaches to research and professional practice, they shared a common background of values about the urban environment and its inhabitants. Central to all is a concern to think about how to understand, make and shape urban environments that are above all for people. Why is it that sometimes our towns and cities can look impressive, stunning even, and yet feel to us like vacuous deserts, sterile and devoid of emotional and experiential value? There seems to be a gradually creeping chasm between how we understand the aesthetic of city spaces and their liveability: their potential to be successful places to raise children, run businesses, find new solutions, exchange ideas, move around efficiently and feel safe at home.
