
Remaking Cities
An Introduction to Urban Metrofitting
Tony Fry(Author)
Bloomsbury Academic (Publisher)
Published on 10. August 2017
Book
Paperback/Softback
280 pages
978-1-4742-2415-4 (ISBN)
Description
Unprecedented challenges await the future of the world's cities. Accelerating population pressure, climate change, food insecurity, poverty and geopolitical instability - in the face of such problems our current attempts at producing a sustainable agenda for the world's cities appear fragmented and inadequate. Fresh thinking is needed.
In Remaking Cities, renowned design theorist Tony Fry brings a conceptual design perspective to the challenge of urban sustainability and resilience. In a typically far-sighted and provocative work, Fry presents ideas and actions for 'metrofitting' - a new kind of practice in architecture and urban design. Metrofitting expands the technological concept of retrofit up to the city scale, placing social, cultural, political and ethical concerns at its heart. Metrofitting is not about visionary technology, it is about transforming existing cities by combining available resources with human creativity, prompted by new thinking about new and old urban problems. It requires overcoming outmoded Eurocentric assumptions of what constitutes a city, rethinking their forms and structures, and understanding their metabolic processes and social and economic functions. This book provides conceptually strong practical approaches that will ultimately change the whole way we view cities and the way the urban future is designed.
Illustrated with international case studies of metrofitting in action, Remaking Cities will provoke and stimulate debate among architects, urban designers, and anyone concerned with the urban environment and social and cultural change.
In Remaking Cities, renowned design theorist Tony Fry brings a conceptual design perspective to the challenge of urban sustainability and resilience. In a typically far-sighted and provocative work, Fry presents ideas and actions for 'metrofitting' - a new kind of practice in architecture and urban design. Metrofitting expands the technological concept of retrofit up to the city scale, placing social, cultural, political and ethical concerns at its heart. Metrofitting is not about visionary technology, it is about transforming existing cities by combining available resources with human creativity, prompted by new thinking about new and old urban problems. It requires overcoming outmoded Eurocentric assumptions of what constitutes a city, rethinking their forms and structures, and understanding their metabolic processes and social and economic functions. This book provides conceptually strong practical approaches that will ultimately change the whole way we view cities and the way the urban future is designed.
Illustrated with international case studies of metrofitting in action, Remaking Cities will provoke and stimulate debate among architects, urban designers, and anyone concerned with the urban environment and social and cultural change.
Reviews / Votes
Re-Making Cities is a theoretically rich and compelling read which takes the reader on a thought-provoking journey through discussion on the future of cities. The intended intellectual contribution of the book is made very clear and the structure allows for a clear narrative whilst retaining a comprehensive critical edge. * Environmental Values * By scaling up the logic of "re-directive" practice which he first outlined in Design Futuring, Fry offers us here one of the most compelling theses for how to turn our cities into real agents of sustainable change. * Duncan Fairfax, Lecturer in Design at Goldsmiths, University of London, UK * Tony Fry showcases the reality of the dramatic and unquestionable changes which will befall our cities, our nations, our planet, unless we adapt sufficiently to fast-changing circumstances. * Danilo Palazzo, Director of the University of Cincinnati School of Planning, USA *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Illustrations
30 bw illus
Dimensions
Height: 232 mm
Width: 156 mm
Thickness: 14 mm
Weight
480 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-4742-2415-4 (9781474224154)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
08/2017
1st Edition
Bloomsbury Academic
€30.99
Available for download

E-Book
08/2017
1st Edition
Bloomsbury Academic
€30.99
Available for download
Person
Tony Fry directs The Studio at the Edge of the World, is Adjunct Professor, Creative Exchange Institute, University of Tasmania, Australia, and is Visiting Professor University of Ibague, Colombia. He is the author of twelve books, including Design Futuring, Design as Politics and Becoming Human by Design.
Content
Preface
Introduction
Part I: Contexts of Change: the limits of how we see cities today
1. Cities Now
2. Understanding the City as a Designing Event
3. What Designs a City?
4. The City, Humanity & Time
5. Urban Imperatives
6. New Imaginaries & the City
7. Other Worlds are Coming
8. Post-Sustainability
Part II: Contexts of Action
9. Metrofitting: Take Two
10. Metrofitting, Thinking Otherwise
11. Unlearning & Learning
12. Metrofitting & the De-signing of Design
13. Metrofitting & Urban Design Fictions
14. Space, Time, Dwelling & Movement
15. Metrofitting and Being in the City
Part III: Introduction to the case studies
Cincinnati Case Study
New Cairo Case Study
Selected Bibliography
Index
Introduction
Part I: Contexts of Change: the limits of how we see cities today
1. Cities Now
2. Understanding the City as a Designing Event
3. What Designs a City?
4. The City, Humanity & Time
5. Urban Imperatives
6. New Imaginaries & the City
7. Other Worlds are Coming
8. Post-Sustainability
Part II: Contexts of Action
9. Metrofitting: Take Two
10. Metrofitting, Thinking Otherwise
11. Unlearning & Learning
12. Metrofitting & the De-signing of Design
13. Metrofitting & Urban Design Fictions
14. Space, Time, Dwelling & Movement
15. Metrofitting and Being in the City
Part III: Introduction to the case studies
Cincinnati Case Study
New Cairo Case Study
Selected Bibliography
Index