Earthly Cities

The book is the first in our paperback series, which aims to present current and pressing challenges in architecture and urban design in an effective, powerful and thought-provoking way. In a shorter format and with a new way of looking at things, these books trigger poignant questions about the future of our built environment. De Jordische Byer presents two different episodes. The first takes the reader through the history of urban development: from the muscle city, which was driven by human and animal labor, through the machine cities of industrialization to the current borderless cities, characterized by global communication and blurred urban divides. It introduces the concept of the earthly city as a close, harmonious interweaving of people and nature. The second section deals with the urgent need to rethink urbanism in light of the climate crisis. It calls for a paradigm shift for a sustainable future. It explores the polarized responses to the climate crisis: technological optimism versus hyperlocal sustainability. The earthly, however, moves away from globalization and locality and focuses on our interconnectedness with Earth's ecosystems. This book is indispensable for anyone interested in future urban life and our role within the Earth's ecological framework.