Co-evolutionary design concept for urban sustainability based on ‘Regenerative’ design principles: a case study in Salford, United Kingdom

Abstract

The absence of a clear definition for sustainability in urban development has brought into defining a comprehensive sustainable concept based on urban design practices. The positive sustainable design practices aim at reducing the damage caused by excessive resource use, or less damage to the environment. Meanwhile, the concept of regenerative design has developed to offer true sustainable practice for transition towards a truly sustainable worldview. The purpose of the research is to investigate how and in which ways regenerative design could be applied to define the sustainability in urban design practices. With that, the regenerative design process was adapted for urban design context through integrated and centralised approach. The ultimate regenerative design process, through the research study, articulates which aspect (method/technology/design) is appropriate for each place, what kind of people for, what yield within the frame of co-evolution of the whole system. Especially, the comparative analysis proved the need of why sustainable design should practice in urban design and at what time and in which ways it should be integrated in to the design process. The radically transformed thinking patterns of practicing sustainable design in the urban planning and urban design, creates sustainable living system, which is mutually integrated with humans and the natural environment.