Japanese Environmental Design and Management for Sustainable Urbanism : Learning from Satoyama

This book responds to the need to rehabilitate the holistic urban environment by introducing planning approaches which focus on the Japanese idea of “Satoyama.”

“Sustainable development” has become a prime concern of planning, and society is expending great efforts to achieving this end. Appreciation of cities’ environmental assets has become more widely accepted and deeply taken to heart—not only by specialists, but also by citizens and communities. The balance between human settlements and the natural environment has changed. This has posed an environmental issue in that urban settlements engulf the greenbelts and water networks that help sustain the urban natural environment. Given these issues, we must consider a morphology toward creating a more sustainable urban system that regenerates the relationship between human settlements, utilizing the architectural resources within our urban fabric, and its interaction with the surrounding natural environments. This book is a guide to the theory, methodologies and practical applications of environmental design and city and regional planning of regenerative systems towards sustainable urbanism. This book also explores the socio-cultural and economic implications of sustainable urbanism, and examines urban forms, land use patterns and their built-up environments that can result from the applications.

This book will appeal to a wide range of readers including researchers and students of architectural design, urban planning, heritage protection and sustainable development, but also professionals who are involved in improving the relationship of human settlements with natural resources.