Island Press Field Notes

Before we can create vibrant, sustainable urban areas, we need to understand what naturally happens when people congregate in cities.

In Resilience for All Barbara Brown Wilson looks at community engagement methods that are less conventional, but often more effective than traditional approaches to make communities more resilient.

Cities across the globe have been designed with a primary goal of moving people around quickly—and the costs are becoming ever more apparent. The consequences are measured in smoggy air basins, sprawling suburbs, a failure to stem traffic congestion, and 1.25 million traffic fatalities each year. It is clear that change is needed. Instead of planning primarily for mobility, our cities should recalibrate planning and design to focus on the safety, health, and access of people in them.

Three ways better building practices can reduce the risks of hurricanes like Harvey, Irma, and Maria.