Summary

Taking on important themes and debates in urban design, Shaping the City examines the critical ideas that have driven these themes and debates through a study of particular cities at important moments in their development.

This is a wide-ranging collection of in-depth case studies, each featuring a different perspective, style and method of inquiry. Studied cities include Chicago, Los Angeles, Detroit, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Brasilia, and Atlanta, and the contributors also provide valuable insights into such grand themes as the Cybercity, the Asian Megacity and New Urbanism. Together, this collection illustrates the complex forces that shape cities, and introduces the critical methods and tools used to describe and theorize the urban environment.