Paul Downton
Melbourne
Writer, architect, urban evolutionary, founding convener of Urban Ecology Australia and a recognised āecocity pioneerā. Paul has championed ecological cities for years but has become disenchanted with how such a beautiful concept can be perverted and misinterpreted ā āNeom’ anyone? Paul is nevertheless working on an artistic/publishing project with the working title āThe Wild Citiesā coming soon to a crowd-funding site near you!
More by this author at The Nature of Cities
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Whimsy. Is there a role for laughter, subversive curve balls, ironic romance and āoh wow thatās coolā moments in the mainstreaming of knowledge and action in sustainability, climate change, and biodiversity?
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We have had trouble getting peopleās attention about climate change. Some climate activists glued themself to a van Gogh painting (and others). Is this helpful?
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A Pattern Language for Urban Nature
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Covid has upended all the normal routines in our lives and work. How do you imagine you might be changed by it, both professionally, but also personally as you negotiate a new post-virus ānormalā?
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What prevents us from creating cities that are better for people and nature? It doesnāt seem like a lack of knowledgeādon’t we have enough research knowledge to act on better policy? So, what is the impediment?
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(R)Evolution and Cities
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What is one thing every ecologist should know about urban ecology?
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Half-Earth Cities
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Are cities ecosystemsāanalogous to natural onesāof nature, infrastructure and people? Does thinking about cities in this way help us think about urban design?
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What are we trying to accomplish with biophilic cities? What are ambitious goals and targets, and measures of success?
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Seven Things You Need to Know about Ecocities
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Can a City Be Sustainable?
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Common threads: connections among the ideas of Jane Jacobs and Elinor Ostrom, and their relevance to urban socio-ecology
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Ceci Nāest Pas le Ciel: Biophilia, Design, and Illusions of Authenticity
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Graffiti and street art can be controversial, but can also be a medium for voices of social change, protest, or expressions of community desire. What, how, and where are examples of graffiti as a positive force in communities?
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Ecodesign is for Citizens and Nature, not for Consumers
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Creative Place-MakingāThis is The Nature of Graffiti
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Sowing the Seeds of Green Urbanism: āSpring is Here and the Time is Right for Planting in the Streetsā
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Why We Need Design Guidelines for Urban Non-Humans
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Signals and Snapshots from Semaphore: Musings on Design Guidelines for Urban Fractals
