Resources are the stuff of which the future is made. The city itself is a resource, as it opens up a wide range of possibilities for every individual and for society as a whole. The city is not an inexhaustible resource, however. Only if it is used in a sustainable way and if it does not solely serve short-term, isolated interests, can it also fulfill the needs of future generations. The biggest challenge for contemporary urban design is, therefore, to plan the city itself as a regenerative cycle, not only in terms of shaping its spatial and aesthetic qualities, but also in relation to its development over time.

Using articles, student projects, and examples, this book presents methods and strategies for designing the city as a resource; it thus lends a new meaning to the idea of sustainable building.