How do we do more with less and still create quality, sustainable cities? In the new book Dynamic Urban Design: A Handbook for Creating Sustainable Communities Worldwide, author Michael von Hausen shares his theories and knowledge regarding sustainable land development. Von Hausen is president of MVH Urban Planning & Design Inc.
Combining personal experience with urban design principles, von Hausen highlights the importance of creating communities worldwide that integrate sustainability principles with effective urban design. Incorporating a dozen case studies that range from Calgary, Alberta, to Vladivostok, Russia, von Hausen creates a toolkit of charts and diagrams for the development of more efficient and sustainable communities.
"This book is about designing cities in their ecological, social/cultural, and economic place in order to achieve evolving, yet resilient cities," said von Hausen. "My practice and teaching tells me the possibilities are at our fingertips, but we have to change our process to get different results. That is what this book it all about - doing it right."
Dynamic Urban Design has been met with advance praise recognizing the importance of the topic of sustainable urbanism as the most important challenge of our time and the effectiveness of von Hausen's work. David Witty, a former dean of the School of Architecture at the Universtiy of Manitoba, called the book "a complete guide to the theory, practice and potential of urban design by one of Canada's preeminent urban designers."
This practical, process-oriented handbook will be of interest to students, as well as seasoned professionals, in the fields of urban planning, architecture, landscape architecture and engineering. In his book, von Hausen presents a "dynamic" model that applies not only downtown, but also in suburban and rural contexts.
Hausen has more than 30 years of experience teaching and practicing in the field of urban design. Von Hausen is adjunct professor in the graduate urban studies program at Simon Fraser University. He is also chief instructor of the urban design certificate program at Simon Fraser University. He earned his masters in urban design from Harvard University.