Ecology of the City as a Bridge to Urban Design

Abstract

This chapter summarizes the nature of ecological science that is necessary to support a dialogue with urban design. First, ecology, as a science, represents a dialog between the conceptual constructs about how the world works and the observations of the material world itself. Second, ecological science has changed over time, so that generalizations and data available now are often quite different from the knowledge available only a few decades ago. Third, ecological science is invested with rich metaphorical connotations which invite connections with design and with the social sciences. However, the specific models or technical knowledge about the structure and functioning of social-ecological systems are required to support substantive exchange between ecology and urban design. The chapter contrasts traditional ecological research embedded within cities with emerging ecological knowledge exposed by research and models that encompass the entirety of urban systems – summarized as ecology of the city. Along the way, key concepts needed for the dialog between design and ecological science – ecosystem, landscape, metamosaic – are defined and exemplified.