Remaking Metropolis examines examples of both urban decay and destruction as well as urban rebirth. It shows why particular approaches were successful, or did not achieve their objectives. By bringing together innovative approaches to urban living from across the world, and by demonstrating how local initiatives can contribute to global solutions, the book establishes a framework in which to evaluate current and future developments for urban change, and to stimulate a reassessment of urban redevelopment and policies.

‘Think Globally, Act Locally’ is an oft used phrase to encourage citizens to take steps close to home as part of addressing overarching environmental issues. Critics of this view point to the potential for parochial or even myopic approaches, while supporters argue that it creates both a more sustainable and a more culturally grounded environment. Remaking Metropolis brings together real world experiences that combine local action with a global world view, to demonstrate the continuum between the local and the remote.

At the same time the compartmentalization of contemporary perspectives towards human life in the fields of science, design, ecology, medicine, and politics is leading to increased fragmentation of the mind, body, city, and globe. By bridging these artificial divides between disciplines, this collection of individual case studies demonstrates the holistic approach necessary for a genuinely sustainable urban condition.