Book Description
More and more homeowners today want houses that are healthy to live in and cause minimal damage to the environment. That's what green building is all about.
Your Green Home is written for homeowners planning a new home - whether you are working with an architect or builder, or serving as your own general contractor. Intended to improve the overall environmental performance of new houses being built, the book sets out to answer some of the big-picture questions relating to having a home designed and built - and getting what you want.
Your Green Home covers:
- Home location and its relationship to the community
- Site design
- Construction systems
- Building design to optimize energy performance
- Renewable energy systems
- Material selection
- Indoor environmental quality
- Water efficiency
- Material selection
Written by the founder of BuildingGreen - North America's premier green building authority - this book will prove useful not only to future homeowners, but also to designers and builders seeking to meet this demand. Building professionals well-versed in green building may find this a useful book to give to potential clients to convey the scope and principles of green building.
Mother Earth News Wiser Living Series
Customer Reviews:
not for architects or designers.......2007-05-14
I am an interior designer and work for an architectural firm. Because of the information I have learned thru my education and professional experience, I found very little new information in this book. If you have no knowledge of green building practices, this book would be beneficial.
Great overview of building a green home. .......2007-01-09
This book was a overview/introduction to building a green home. Should be a must read for builders and anyone planning on building a new home. Not all strategies will work for every situation, but there's lots here that would apply for any situation or budget.
Nice text, appeals to broad audience.......2007-01-09
The text is well-written and can appeal to a wide audience. It's simple enough to understand for those without a great deal of knowledge in sustainable design, yet interesting and usefull enough for the professional who's more trained in sustainability. The text covers sustainable homes in a logical order, first stressing the foundation concepts like siting, orientation, passive solar, and building envelope efficiency, BEFORE moving on to less critical (but more popular) topics such as green materials.
I am a professor of Environmental Design and am currently building a passive solar, zero-energy home, and if I were to write a text that comprises the whole of the process and goals in sustainable home building, the format and breadth of topics would be similar to this book.
One negative of the book is the absence of color images to illustrate some points. The simple line drawings get the point across, but photos might have a better impact - especailly in sections discussing more advanced systems such as renewable energy systems or rainwater catchment systems.
Average customer rating:
- A great read and also good as a course text!
- thought provouking
|
Design for Sustainability: A Sourcebook of Integrated, Eco-logical Solutions
Janis Birkeland
Manufacturer: Earthscan Publications Ltd.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 General
| Popular Economics
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
Sustainable Development
| Economics
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
Natural Resources
| Economics
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
Environmental Science
| Earth Sciences
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
Renewable Energy
| Technology
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Environmental
| Civil
| Engineering
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Environmental Science
| Earth Sciences
| Professional Science
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Ecology
| Environment
| Outdoors & Nature
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Urban Planning & Development
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
All Titles
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Business & Investing
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Nonfiction
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Outdoors & Nature
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Professional
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Science
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
ecoDesign: The SourcebookRevised Edition
-
Green Design
-
Experimental Eco-Design: Product, Architecture, Fashion
-
Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things
-
Worldchanging: A User's Guide for the 21st Century
ASIN: 1853838977 |
Book Description
"Design for Sustainability" signals the crucial paradigm shift of the 21st Century: the transition from "environmental management" to "systems design" - eco-solutions that integrate social, political, and economic factors and radically reduce resource use, while increasing health, equity and life quality.
By using radical and innovative design solutions, everyone could be living in buildings and settlements that are more like gardens than cargo containers, and that purify air and water, generate energy, treat sewage and produce food - at lower cost.
This sourcebook presents inspiring and detailed examples of integrated systems design thinking by many of the foremost designers in the field. They cover applications in industrial design, materials, housing design, urban planning and transport, landscape and agriculture, and energy and resource use. They cut across traditional academic and professional boundaries to demonstrate a new transdisciplinary approach to environmental problem solving.
The volume makes a very valuable reference and teaching resource in areas from environmental sciences to design and planning. Each of the 14 topics within the field of environmental management and social change have pairs of short readings providing diverse perspectives to compare, contrast and debate. Informational boxes, sets of questions and exercises are also provided.
Customer Reviews:
A great read and also good as a course text!.......2006-07-22
This type of book is well overdue. It covers both the theoretical and practical side of sustainable design and is very well set out. It is an excellent reference book and covers the full spectrum of sustainable design issues, which affect us all!
thought provouking.......2003-06-07
design for sustainability is defnitly a sourcebook for sustainable designers.it spanes through every aspect of our existance and ofers a new way of living it sustainably. from hemp clothes to earth building and even touches thinking patterns of design, giving the profetional designer not only eco-logical solutions but new perspectives to the process of design.
this book opened my mind to new pathes of thought and action.
Average customer rating:
|
The Ecological Design Handbook
Fred A. Stitt
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill Professional
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Architecture
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Environmental
| Building Types & Styles
| Architecture
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Drawing & Modelling
| Architecture
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Civil
| Engineering
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Environmental Science
| Earth Sciences
| Professional Science
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Interior Design
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
Environmental Science
| Earth Sciences
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Urban Planning & Development
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Building Materials
| Civil Engineering
| McGraw-Hill Engineering Store
| McGraw-Hill
| By Publisher
| Books
All Amazon Upgrade
| Amazon Upgrade
| Stores
| Books
Engineering
| Amazon Upgrade
| Stores
| Books
Home & Garden
| Amazon Upgrade
| Stores
| Books
Nonfiction
| Amazon Upgrade
| Stores
| Books
Professional & Technical
| Amazon Upgrade
| Stores
| Books
Science
| Amazon Upgrade
| Stores
| Books
All Titles
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Home & Garden
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Nonfiction
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Professional
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Science
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Design Outlaws on the Ecological Frontier
-
Alternative Construction: Contemporary Natural Building Methods
-
Ecological Design
-
Sun, Wind & Light: Architectural Design Strategies, 2nd Edition
-
Sustainable Landscape Construction: A Guide to Green Building Outdoors, Second Edition
ASIN: 0070614997
Release Date: 1999-06-14 |
Book Description
* The best A-TO-Z book available on "green" design
* Covers everything from alternative energy source hardware to design...aesthetics...permaculture...energy-saving retrofitting...interior air quality...hybrid construction materials...cohousing...bioremediation...infrastructure... and the New Urbanism
* Practical guidance on zoning, financing, and implementation
* Up-to-the-minute ideas of international leaders in the field
Average customer rating:
- The Living Landscape
- A Unique and Useful Contribution
- From a landscape for living to a living landscape
- Ecological plannnig has a future with this effort .
- Book fails to make the connection
|
The Living Landscape: An Ecological Approach to Landscape Planning
Frederick Steiner
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill Professional
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Architecture
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Landscape
| Architecture
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Environmental
| Building Types & Styles
| Architecture
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Urban & Land Use Planning
| Architecture
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Popular Economics
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
Landscape
| Gardening & Horticulture
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
Conservation
| Environment
| Outdoors & Nature
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Conservation
| Outdoors & Nature
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Nature & Ecology
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Ecology
| Biological Sciences
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Urban Planning & Development
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Architecture
| New & Used Textbooks
| Stores
| Books
Landscape
| Architecture
| New & Used Textbooks
| Stores
| Books
All Titles
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Business & Investing
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Home & Garden
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Nonfiction
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Outdoors & Nature
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Professional
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Science
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Site Design and Construction Detailing, 3rd Edition
-
The Urban Design Handbook: Techniques and Working Methods
-
Public Places - Urban Spaces
-
Design with Nature (Wiley Series in Sustainable Design)
-
Planning and Urban Design Standards (Wiley Graphic Standards)
Accessories:
-
Black & Decker Edge Hog 2-1/4 HP Electric Landscape Edger #LE750
ASIN: 0070793980 |
Book Description
Award-winning guide to ecologically-sound landscapes!
The first edition of Frederick Steiner's The Living Landscape: An Ecological Approach to Landscape Planning, won a coveted ASLA merit award. This revised Second Edition's strong design-oriented approach meets the needs of today's professionals, focusing on how to create a plan and explains each major step with examples from various localities. The new edition links each step to current planning practice and to new theory in landscape ecology and sustainable development.You'll find:
- More than 20 case studies covering urban, suburban, rural, domestic and international environments
- Scores of checklists and step-by-step procedures
- Details for conducting environmental impact assessments
- Full coverage of zoning, land use, and other regulatory issues
- Much more
Customer Reviews:
The Living Landscape.......2002-10-14
The Living Landscape has made a lasting contribution to ecological planning through its detailed documentation of this planning process and thoughtful comparison of the process's application in case studies. Dr. Steiner demonstrates in his book that ecological planning is just not a static plan-making process, but rather a dynamic process that requires consistent and meaningful input from stakeholders. In addition, he sees plan-making as a process that has implications for different scales of the environment, from the nation to the neighborhood. He stresses that the ecological planning process does not end when the plan is finished, but rather the process continues through the linkage of planning concepts to physical design. Given the strengths of this book, it is an essential volume for the library of any professional or student in the disciplines of the built environment and environmental management.
A Unique and Useful Contribution.......2002-05-06
It is a rare planning book that outlines a detailed process for guiding landscape change in a deliberate and ecologically sound manner. The Living Landscape accomplishes this in a robust, clear and convincing way. The second edition improves on the first by including more landscape design information, updating case studies, and deepening the planning method (for instance, by including more on the use of Geographic Information Systems). The liberal use of cases is a strong asset of the book; each step in the ecological planning process is illustrated and explained by way of 'stories' from real places around North America. The Living Landscape is useful reading for students and practitioners in landscape architecture, architecture, environmental planning and natural resource management.
From a landscape for living to a living landscape.......2002-05-05
The second edition of The Living Landscape has came out nine years after the first. The first, in fact, was published in 1991, it received an ASLA Merit Award for Communications in 1993, and then it was translated into Italian in 1994, where it was very well received among scholars and students of planning as well as in the schools of architecture throughout the country.
The very first difference between the two editions is the publishing series. The first did not form part of a series while the second is now in the McGraw-Hill "Professional Architecture" series. The Professional Architecture series is devoted to giving helpful tools to practitioners who are on the field and The Living Landscape provides a very wide set of how-to and why-to-do-it instructions, where-to-keep information, and best practices examples to learn from, organized around an eleven-step Ecological Planning Model. I consider The Living Landscape a refined, high-level professional handbook devoted to enhance the toolbox of any present or future planning practitioners.
The Living Landscape II edition, as was the first, is built around a scheme of eleven steps called "Ecological Planning Method" briefly presented in the first chapter and used as a step-by-step pattern to guide readers into the organization of a planning process. The "Ecological Planning Method" is a framework for presenting information to decision-makers, and to display "a common language, a common method among all those concerned about social equity and ecological parity" (p. 9). The approach to planning presented by Steiner is innovative for two reasons. The first is the incorporation of ecology in planning - briefly "the use of biophysical and sociocultural information to suggest opportunities and constraints for decision making about the use of the landscape" (pp. 9-10). The second reason is the author's stress on the citizen's involvement in almost every step of his method. These two issues, even if they are the prime themes of the book, are prudently embedded into the body of the full text. Ecology and citizen involvement are the leitmotif of the entire book which is composed of a precise combination of techniques and tools presentation, useful references to literature, light - but effective - revocations of the theoretical frameworks on the issues, and application examples deriving from real plans or projects.
The eleven-step Ecological Planning Model goes from the identification of problems and opportunities (step 1) and the establishment of goals (2) to inventories and analysis at regional (3) and local level (4). It proceeds with the realization of detailed studies (5) and the definition of planning concepts (6). The landscape plan (7) follows and it is directly assessed and criticized by citizens (8), who are involved and educated along the whole process-phasing. Design exploration (9) comes next and the study of the implementation of the plan and projects (10) precedes the administration (11) that is the last step of the model. The Ecological Planning Model is linear in its descriptions (the book chapters - excluding the introduction and the conclusion - are devoted to deepen every single step, with some minor exceptions), but the steps are strongly interactive. In the graphic scheme of the model (p. 11), solid and dashed arrows between the steps emphasize the necessity and the opportunity of feedback and retroactions in order to monitor the previous results.
Citizen involvement is the center of the model. Almost every step is addressed to inhabitants and a systematic educational and citizen involvement effort occurs throughout the process. The model, between the last step - administration - and the first - problem and/or opportunity identification -, presents a dashed arrow in order to accent that problems and opportunities facing the region and the goals addressed that may be altered by time, occurrences and circumstances.
Compared to the first edition, the structure of the Ecological Planning Model and of the book contents remains unchanged in the second, but the book has some 120 more pages. Graphic design of tables and figures has been enhanced - a four-color page section was added to present the GIS maps of the Desert View Tri-Villages Area (Arizona) and of the Camp Pendleton study area (California), two of the many new examples used along the entire book. New photographs, mostly authored by Steiner, follow the entire text. Sources and references have been updated including recent books and articles on the matters. New examples, as said before, have been included in this edition to present more recent application of techniques and tools explained and illustrated along the text. The final glossary, one of the many useful tools of the book, has been enlarged with 46 new entries bringing the total to 350.
Ecological plannnig has a future with this effort ........2002-04-14
I am a graduate student in landscape ecological planning. I would recommend Dr. Steiner's book for students, professionals and the lay leaders interested in making a difference in their community. The idea of planning is sometimes hard to grasp by communities that are ruled by economics and development,not ecology. Dr. Steiner shows us step by step how to include ecology into communities and how that may give us other alternatives that we may not have considered.
The use of case studies in this book enhances the practical application of ecological planning in real world situations.
I would recommend this book for anyone interested in ecology, planning or being part of your community's future.
Book fails to make the connection.......2002-01-23
I picked up a copy of "the living landscape" at the local library thinking I was on to something interesting. Instead, I found the book to be a rehash of old, simple ideas under the cloak of a "sexy", progressive title. I am a practicing environmental planner and must admit that I was even fooled by the picture on the cover--How in the world is a linear mono-cultural hedgerow of trees that line an walkway even remotely a just symbol of "ecological planning"? The picture seems to satisfy the landscape architect's need to have order-- Ecology is anything but linear or orderly.
I must be fair. The book is well writen and offers students in environmental planning a good introduction to landscape planning with some environmenatl emphasis. However, in my opinion, I don't believe that the book does justice or furthers the progressive concept of "ecological" planning, as defined by the likes of the late Ian McHarg.
Book Description
Over the last fifty years, the process of community building has been lost in the process of city building. City and suburban design divides us from others in our communities, destroys natural habitats, and fails to provide a joyful context for our lives. In Design for Ecological Democracy, Randolph Hester proposes a remedy for our urban anomie. He outlines new principles for urban design that will allow us to forge connections with our fellow citizens and our natural environment. He demonstrates these principles with abundantly illustrated examples--drawn from forty years of design and planning practice--showing how we can design cities that are ecologically resilient, that enhance community, and that give us pleasure.
Hester argues that it is only by combining the powerful forces of ecology and democracy that the needed revolution in design will take place. Democracy bestows freedom; ecology creates responsible freedom by explaining our interconnectedness with all creatures. Hester's new design principles are founded on three fundamental issues that integrate democracy and ecology: enabling form, resilient form, and impelling form. Urban design must enable us to be communities rather than zoning-segregated enclaves and to function as informed democracies. A simple bench at a centrally located post office, for example, provides an opportunity for connection and shared experience. Cities must be ecologically resilient rather than ecologically imperiled, adaptable to the surrounding ecology rather than dependent on technological fixes. Resilient form turns increased urban density, for example, into an advantage. And cities should impel us by joy rather than compel us by fear; good cities enrich us rather than limit us. Design for Ecological Democracy is essential reading for designers, planners, environmentalists, community activists, and anyone else who wants to improve a local community.
Book Description
Inspirational, practical, and easy to use, this book was created with the aim of conveying the awesome diversity and beauty of California's native plants and demonstrating how they can be brought into ecologically sound, attractive, workable, and artful gardens. Structured around major California plant communities--bluffs, redwoods, the Channel Islands, coastal scrub, grasslands, deserts, oak woodlands, mixed evergreen woodlands, riparian, chaparral, mountain meadows, and wetlands--the book's twelve chapters each include sample plans for a native garden design accompanied by original drawings, color photographs, a plant list, tips on successful gardening with individual species, and more. Both residential and professional gardeners will learn the benefits of going native with gardens that require less water and fewer fertilizers, attract wildlife, engage the senses, create a sense of place, and, at the same time, preserve our rich natural heritage.
Designing Native California Gardens includes:
* More than 600 selected native species recommended for the garden
* More than 300 photographs of native plants, natural plant communities, and residential native gardens
* Recommended places to visit for viewing each plant community
Customer Reviews:
Practical Orientation to Natives.......2007-10-10
-We need more books like this to make Native Gardening more amenable. What "Landscapers' Challenge" did for Landscaping, this book will hopefully start to do to open up the still rather arcane world of Native Plants. It is practical and full of detailed, appropriate, high quality photographs of sample materials. Visually on par with "Landscape Plants for Western Regions" by Perry.
The Perfect Book for Any Californian Who Wants to Save the Environment in Their Own Backyard.......2007-09-26
This book is excellent, with many good photographic examples of complete native landscape. It also set for an excellent philosophy for landscape design for the both the use of native and non-native plants. However it really shouldn't be thought of as a complete source for native gardening. I would also suggest that you pick up 'California Native Plants for the Garden' by Carol Bornstein, David Fross, and Bart O'Brien. Even between these two books all of the possibilities for beautiful California native plants and landscapes created using them have not yet been fully explored, but these books are an excellent start.
best book for gardeners.......2007-09-06
This is the book I have been waiting for! It has all the information to learn about and appreciate the value and beauty of native gardening. Practical and inspirational, with lovely photos and illustrations. The book helps the reader incorporate the beauty found in nature in a home plot. If I were going to buy one book about making/keeping a garden, this would be it.
Colorful new gardening book focuses on state's native plants.......2007-08-04
Bay Area botanist Glenn Keator and San Jose horticulturalist and designer Alrie Middlebrook are on a mission. They want to convince Californians to plan and create gardens with native plant species in mind.
Why?
As Keator writes, "the most compelling reason is to create a sense of place. & What better way is there to remind ourselves of this special geographic region we call home than to recreate, in our own yards, the native gardens found in the wild? Anyone can have a garden with roses (mostly hybrids from China and Europe), petunias (from South America), fuchsias (from mountainous South and Central America), and impatiens (many from Africa)."
Besides, says Keator, native plants are already adapted to the area and likely will survive. They attract native pollinators and reduce the amount of water and pesticides required. Keator and Middlebrook make a convincing case in "Designing California Native Gardens: The Plant Community Approach to Artful, Ecological Gardens" ($27.50 in paperback from Phyllis M. Faber/University of California Press).
More than 300 full-color photographs enrich the book and several appendices provide sources of natives and a planting calendar.
The book is a practical exploration of a dozen plant communities in the state, several of which are well represented locally. Each chapter begins with an overview and is anchored by a diagram and explanation of one of Middlebrook's own garden projects or concepts.
Readers are provided with design notes, a scope of work for the given project and a rich compilation of plants to use. The goal is not to duplicate Middlebrook's work but rather to appreciate the beauty that can be created using California natives.
The authors conclude their chapters with an annotated list of "places to visit" to see the native plant communities in the wild. The Oak Woodland chapter, for example, pictures a "carpet of Ithuriel's spear (Triteleia laxa)" on Table Mountain; readers are directed to Loafer Creek State Park at Lake Oroville to observe "blue oak woodland mixed with gray pines and scattered interior live oaks." Keator notes that "many fortunate gardeners already have oaks on their property, yet many ornamentals require the summer water that slowly kills these magnificent trees. California's oak woodlands provide a fine palette of plants perfectly adapted to grow under oaks."
In the Grasslands chapter, Bear Valley in Colusa County features "glueseed, goldfields, royal larkspur, creamcups and owl's clover"; Feather Falls, an example of mixed-evergreen forest, presents such understory plants as western mock-orange and Sierra fawn lily.
And then there's the ponderosa pine. A sense of place, indeed.
Copyright 2007 Chico Enterprise-Record. Used by permission.
Great guidebook!.......2007-06-16
As a beginner with CA natives I found this to be the book I was seeking. There are good explanations of the state's plant communities, examples of design plans, guidance on how to implement a plan for that community and good photos of real landscaping and the plants. The plant selections presented for each community have good descriptions and and seem from my weekly increasing experience to be those that succeed in home landscaping. I refer to it all the time as I take on areas of my yard to restore. North, south, east, west our yards are complex. This book helps one figure them out relative to CA natives.
Book Description
The environmental movement has often been accused of being overly negative--trying to stop "progress." The Nature of Design, on the other hand, is about starting things, specifically an ecological design revolution that changes how we provide food, shelter, energy, materials, and livelihood, and how we deal with waste. Ecological design is an emerging field that aims to recalibrate what humans do in the world according to how the world works as a biophysical system. Design in this sense is a large concept having to do as much with politics and ethics as with buildings and technology. The book begins by describing the scope of design, comparing it to the Enlightenment of the 18th century. Subsequent chapters describe barriers to a design revolution inherent in our misuse of language, the clockspeed of technological society, and shortsighted politics. Orr goes on to describe the critical role educational institutions might play in fostering design intelligence and what he calls "a higher order of heroism." Appropriately, the book ends on themes of charity, wilderness, and the rights of children. Astute yet broadly appealing, The Nature of Design combines theory, practicality, and a call to action.
Customer Reviews:
fascinating and reassuring.......2007-09-05
Orr's book is a fantastic illustration of the current state of the world in terms of the relationship between technology, ecology, design and economy from a theoretical-philosophical perspective. He does not brush anything "under the carpet" and provides a very broad and deep understanding of our incompetence as a society saturated with consumption to deal with the consequences of our modern way of life. The best thing about this book, in comparison with other books in the subject, is first of all that it provides a highly engaging read, and second of all that it offers a very clear solution to our social and environmental problems - to live within and according to nature's limits. Orr's argument is convincing, not only because it is supported by many beautiful references, but mainly because it provides a very practical and honest pathway to the future.
Quite interesting..........2005-08-16
I didn't think I'd like this book as much as I actually did. It was informative, questioning, and thought provoking. Great for someone who knows little about ecological literacy but wants to know more. A good beginner's book for someone starting to realize the intrinsic value in nature.
Quo Vadis..........2003-10-29
One needn't read the blurb to know that DO is a professor. The writing style, the subject chosen and the way it has been treated, the examples given... all point towards a very advanced mind! The power of this book lies in the relentless power of the ideology and the prose to raise questions in the mind of the reader, and forcing the reader to reconsider some of his/her own beliefs and viewpoints.
The professor makes this journey even more enjoyable through his deliciously witty sarcasms and digs at the capitalistic society of today and its spin-doctors of advertising. Through numerous examples and penetrating questions, the writer clearly supports his point of view that humanity today is rushing headlong into the future, with a blind reliance on science and technology/forms of government/economic theories... and this faith he claims, seems to mirror an almost religious fervor. The writer clearly illustrates how humanity is increasingly trading its unknown future for short term gains of a few in positions of power to exploit those gains.
The book deals with the subject of designing the future with Nature in mind, and speaks of the nature of design. Quite a heavy book in terms of the ideas, though the writing is wonderfully simple and straightforward. But aren't the clearest minds with the most elegant and terse prose, the hardest to comprehend? Simply a brilliant book that is a must read, and replete with a wonderfully diverse reference list at the end.
Another service to life - opening the discussion again.......2002-06-08
Orr expands on some of the themes brought to the forefront in his last two books (Ecological Literacy and Earth in Mind). However, he highlights aspects critical to a sustaining culture that lie outside the boundaries of convential educational thought, and even outside the previous bounds of Orr's comprehensive vision of education.
He explains and argues for a continually expanded vision of 'education' again, and embeds this process in the larger processes of life; tirelessy showing that there are no boundaries between the two - and what this means for our place in the living world.
Chapters such as "Architecture as Pedagogy" represent some of his past work refined.
It is in the first half dozen chapters, however, that I feel he gets closest to the heart of the matter. In chapters such as "Slow Knowledge" and "Verbicide" he brings forth such elements as time, information, the speed at which we unite (or disjoint) them, and our relationship between such daily elements. I have been on a constant search for commentary on the implications of our relationship with time as it concerns sustainability. (Some of the best writing on it, that I've found is in The Sabbath by A.J Heschel and Spell of the Sensuous by David Abram). There is little written directly about this in the general literature, much of it not embedded in the concept of sustainability. The majority of it is also somewhat hidden in studies of religion, symbolism, and philosophy. Orr brings these relationships into the open and connects our perception and the design of our use of time directly to the ground. He never loses sight of the how such processes impact our prospects for a livable future.
He also contextualizes this relationship in the ever widening definition (largely thanks to Orr himself) of DESIGN - specifically ecological design.
These aspects are only part of this commentary however; other areas focus on the idea of wilderness, political economy, vocation, technology and human development.
David Orr's ability to connect such topics and contextualize them within the qualities of 'usefulness' is needed fundamentally.
He uncompromisingly subjects dominant current (and lesser-discussed, but possible) beliefs, paradigms, technologies and techniques, to the questions:
"What good is it, are they? How does it/do they influence us? How does it/do they inform our actions? Does this further our best intentions? How does this influence the prospects of life now and in the future?"
Never before has such scrutiny been so necessary, and I have found no more enlightening and pragmatic commentary than that offered by David Orr. This book should raise the bar for others in the many fields of sustainability to broaden, deepen and connect these concepts further, and soon.
Book Description
". . . as we anticipate the world of the twenty-first century, landscape architecture is at a crossroads. If the discipline embraces ecological design and planning, then it has a leadership role in contemporary society throughout the world. If landscape architecture, however, turns inward and ignores its larger responsibility to the public good, then it will become marginalized and less relevant." —George F. Thompson and Frederick R. Steiner.
The essays contained in this book are written by a cross section of the most respected teachers and prac-titioners of landscape design from around the globe. Ecological Design and Planning offers a unique opportunity to learn about the latest thinking and practices in the art and science of ecological landscape design from such leading lights as Michael Laurie, Carol Franklin, Laurie Olin, Elizabeth Meyer, Mark Johnson, and Ian McHarg.
The common thread that runs through these essays is the authors' conviction that the growing rift in landscape design—ecology vs. aesthetics—is an artificial one. Each author expresses abiding concern for the ecological preservation and enhancement of the site, while demonstrating clearly—with both words and pictures—that the best designs are those that harmonize aesthetic form and ecological function. Ecological Design and Planning is a source of ideas and inspiration for landscape architects and planners, architects, and all those who understand the importance of designing with nature.
"It is high time that we citizens of the world begin to understand that our situation on earth is not one in which nature must rule over culture, or culture over nature, as if one can separate the two in the first place. It is high time to reflect upon the geographies and landscape histories of the past throughout the world so that we can bring forward—again—the concept that only by designing and planning with nature and culture can we begin to heal the landscapes and places of everyday existence—urban, rural, and wild—in environmental and aesthetic terms. 'God's own junkyard' need not continue to dominate our public landscapes, nor our own backyards and city streets." —George F. Thompson and Frederick R. Steiner
New essays by: James Corner, Carol Franklin, Mark Johnson, Michael Laurie, Ian L. McHarg, Elizabeth Meyer, Forster Ndubisi, Laurie Olin, Claire Reiniger, Sally Shauman, Meto Voom, and Joan Hirschman Woodward.
Photographs by Steve Martino
Customer Reviews:
Ecological Writing for Landscape Theory.......2000-05-02
The book provides brilliant perspectives to look at a wide range of landscape theory. Especially for the ecological oriented landscape theory, it is a good source which reviews different paradigms from utopainism, defensive way of environmental planning to landscape ecological point of view.
Ecological Writing for Landscape Theory.......2000-05-02
The book provides brilliant perspectives to look at a wide range of landscape theory. Especially for the ecological oriented landscape theory, it is a good source which reviews different paradigms from utopainism, defensive way of environmental planning to landscape ecological point of view.
Book Description
One of the legendary figures in twentieth-century design, Ian McHarg transformed the fields of landscape architecture and planning through his personal methodology, his unique curriculum at the University of Pennsylvania, and his own inspired writing. In classic texts such as his landmark 1969 book Design with Nature, McHarg painted an incredibly rich and exuberant picture of the organic world while conjuring up the vision for a more wholesome and productive metropolis. In this new entry in the popular Conversations with Students series, we are proud to make McHarg’s never-before-in-print lecture "Collaboration with Nature" available for the first time. Captured on tape in the 1970s, the lecture is the sequel to McHarg’s Design With Nature. This is a must read for anyone in the fields of landscape architecture, environmental science, and urban planning.
Book Description
Designing Small Parks: A Manual for Addressing Social and Ecological Concerns provides guidelines for building better parks by integrating design criteria with current social and natural science research. Small parks are too often relegated to being the step-child of municipal and metropolitan open space systems because of assumptions that their small size and isolation limits their recreational capacity and makes them ecologically less valuable than large city and county parks. This manual is arranged around twelve topics that represent key questions, contradictions, or tensions in the design of small parks. Topics cover fundamental issues for urban parks, natural systems, and human aspects. Also included are useful case studies with alternative design solutions using three different approaches for integrating research findings into small urban park design.
Books:
- 15 Books in 1: L. Frank Baum's Original "Oz" Series. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, The Marvelous Land of Oz, Ozma of Oz, Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz, The Road to Oz, The Emerald City of Oz, The Patchwork Girl Of Oz, Little Wizard Stories of Oz, Tik-Tok of Oz, The Scarecrow Of Oz, Rinkitink In Oz, The Lost Princess Of Oz, The Tin Woodman Of Oz, The Magic of Oz, and Glinda Of Oz.
- A Childs Garden: Enchanting Outdoor Spaces for Children and Parents
- American Horticultural Society A to Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants
- American Horticultural Society A to Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants
- American Horticultural Society A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants
- American Horticultural Society Plant Propagation: The Fully Illustrated Plant-by-Plant Manual of Practical Techniques
- American Indian Healing Arts: Herbs, Rituals, and Remedies for Every Season of Life (Healing Arts)
- Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life
- Between Heaven and Earth
- Breaking the Limit: One Woman's Motorcycle Journey Through North America
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Land Development Handbook
- Cool Shops New York
- The Exterminating Angel
- The Simplest Path to Personal and Planetary Awakening, Step One: FREE YOUR MIND: 10 Keys for Unlocki
- Why We Want You to be Rich: Two Men - One Message
- Bound by Honor: A Mafioso's Story
- Antler Dust
- The Color of Credit: Mortgage Discrimination, Research Methodology, and Fair-Lending Enforcement
- The Psychology of Economic Decisions: Volume I: Rationality and Well-Being
- May the Best Man Die
Green Building Products: The Greenspec Guide to Residential Building Materials
The New Ecological Home: A Complete Guide to Green Building Options (Chelsea Green Guides for Homeowners)
Green Remodeling : Changing the World One Room at a Time
Solar Water Heating: A Comprehensive Guide to Solar Water And Space Heating Systems (Mother Earth News Wiser Living Series)
Good Green Kitchens
