ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst

Title

The Humane Metropolis: People and Nature in the 21st Century

Authors

Rutherford H. Platt, University of Massachusetts - Amherst

Files

Description

The Humane Metropolis explores the prospects for a more humane metropolis through a series of essays and case studies that consider why and how urban places can be made greener and more amenable. Its point of departure is the legacy of William H. Whyte (1917-1999), one of America's most admired urban thinkers. From his eyrie high above Manhattan in the offices of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, Whyte laid the foundation for today's "smart growth" and "new urbanist" movements with books such as The Last Landscape (1968). His passion for improving the habitability of cities and suburbs is reflected in the diverse grassroots urban design and regreening strategies discussed in this volume.

Topics examined in this book include urban and regional greenspaces, urban ecological restoration, social equity, and green design. Some of the contributors are recognized academic experts, while others offer direct practical knowledge of particular problems and initiatives. The editor's introduction and epilogue set the individual chapters in a broader context and suggest how the strategies described, if widely replicated, may help create more humane urban environments.

ISBN

978-1-55849-554-8

Publication Date

9-2006

Publisher

University of Massachusetts Press

City

Amherst, MA

Keywords

Environmental history, City planning, Greenbelts

Disciplines

Urban, Community and Regional Planning | Urban Studies | Urban Studies and Planning

Recommended Citation

Platt, Rutherford H., "The Humane Metropolis: People and Nature in the 21st Century" (2006). University of Massachusetts Press Books. 1.
https://scholarworks.umass.edu/umpress_books/1