Bioregional Planning and Design: Volume II

This book provides insights and discusses the practical application of the theoretical concept of urban bioregion complementing the general bio-regional planning cross-disciplinary issues provided in Volume I. It examines planning practices, such as relocalisation of energy flows, land protection for climate change, territorial heritage enhancement, the consideration of urban ecosystems and agro-ecology. It presents discussions on regional contexts, practices and projects for a bioregional recovery, and includes case studies from France, Belgium, Spain, Greece, Austria and Italy, discussing topics that range from the reframing of local energy production/delivery planning systems to soil protection and farmland sustainable exploitation schemes. This volume concludes with three cross-European case studies that make clear the worldwide relevance and potential of bioregional approach beyond the Global North or Western countries.

• Bioregional planning
• Urban bio-region
• Co-evolution
• Self-reliance
• Cross-disciplinary planning and design
• Places stewardship
• Urban-rural interface

• Architecture Department-Dida, Florence University, Florence, Italy

  David Fanfani

• Urban and Spatial Planning Department, University of Granada, Granada, Spain

  Alberto Matarán Ruiz

David Fanfani (PhD) is Associate Professor in Urban and Regional Planning at the Department of Architecture at the Florence University, Italy. He teaches Master Science Course in Regional Planning and Design and Master Science in Architecture of Florence's Architecture School. His research activity focuses especially on analysis and design on the regional scale, addressing mainly matters related to peri-urban areas and their reconnection between city and countryside. He applies an integrated and cross-disciplinary bio-regional approach aimed at the recovery of a co-evolutionary relations between urban and rural domain. He is  author of many publications and scientific papers on these subjects at Italian as well as international level. He is also editor in chief of Contesti. Città territori e Progetti, Journal of Urban and Regional Planning and Design, of the Architecture Department of Florence University.

Alberto Mataràn Ruiz is BsC and PhD in Environmental Science at the University of Granada, Spain, and MsC Waste Management  at the University of Central Lancashire, UK. Professor of Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Granada. Visiting scholar in different international universities and professor in several postgraduate programs including Urban and Regional Planning, Agroecology, Environmental History and International Cooperation. His research interest is centred on local self-sustainability including the importance of periurban areas and local food systems. According to this his methodological approach is based on an agroecological and decolonial perspective and considers the importance of participation for the transition processes in Europe and Latin America.

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