Rethinking a Lot


Book Description

As the number of passenger cars in the world increases daily, so too does Earth's supply of parking spaces. In some cities, parking lots cover more than one-third of the metropolitan footprint--but their design and function has not been rethought since the 1950s. Here, urban designer Eran Ben-Joseph shares a different vision for parking's future--aesthetically pleasing, environmentally and architecturally responsible. He provides a visual history of this often-ignored urban space, introducing us to some of the many alternative and nonparking purposes that parking lots have served. He shows us parking lots that are lushly planted with trees and flowers and beautifully integrated with the rest of the built environment. With purposeful design, Ben-Joseph argues, parking lots could be significant public places, contributing as much to their communities as great boulevards, parks, or plazas.--From publisher description.




Strong Towns


Book Description

A new way forward for sustainable quality of life in cities of all sizes Strong Towns: A Bottom-Up Revolution to Build American Prosperity is a book of forward-thinking ideas that breaks with modern wisdom to present a new vision of urban development in the United States. Presenting the foundational ideas of the Strong Towns movement he co-founded, Charles Marohn explains why cities of all sizes continue to struggle to meet their basic needs, and reveals the new paradigm that can solve this longstanding problem. Inside, you’ll learn why inducing growth and development has been the conventional response to urban financial struggles—and why it just doesn’t work. New development and high-risk investing don’t generate enough wealth to support itself, and cities continue to struggle. Read this book to find out how cities large and small can focus on bottom-up investments to minimize risk and maximize their ability to strengthen the community financially and improve citizens’ quality of life. Develop in-depth knowledge of the underlying logic behind the “traditional” search for never-ending urban growth Learn practical solutions for ameliorating financial struggles through low-risk investment and a grassroots focus Gain insights and tools that can stop the vicious cycle of budget shortfalls and unexpected downturns Become a part of the Strong Towns revolution by shifting the focus away from top-down growth toward rebuilding American prosperity Strong Towns acknowledges that there is a problem with the American approach to growth and shows community leaders a new way forward. The Strong Towns response is a revolution in how we assemble the places we live.







Parking Lot Landscaping


Book Description




Energy-Wise Landscape Design


Book Description

Save money and energy while adding natural beauty to your home.




Parking Lot Landscaping


Book Description

This report focuses on specific aspects of parking lot design - way in which the appearance and function of parking lots can be improved by requiring landscaping.




U.S. Landscape Ordinances


Book Description

State-by-state listings and explanations of municipal landscape ordinances In U.S. Landscape Ordinances, Buck Abbey furnishes landscape architects, planners, land-use attorneys, and students with a much-needed resource. This state-by-state presentation demystifies the complex planning laws and ordinances that determine landscape design parameters for more than 300 American cities. The author highlights sections of each ordinance that pertain to landscape architecture, boils the legalese down to plain English, explains the law's main purpose and regulatory function, and spells out the practical implications from a design perspective. With the help of more than fifty diagrams and drawings that clarify complex spatial concepts, U.S. Landscape Ordinances reviews the entire spectrum of green laws currently on the books, including ordinances that cover: * Parking lots and vehicular use areas * Landscape buffers and screens * Street tree plantings * Open space design * Irrigation * Land clearing and building sites The product of ten years of painstaking research and analysis, U.S. Landscape Ordinances is a unique and invaluable tool for professionals in landscape design and municipal planning. It also offers a deep reservoir of information for students, municipal legislators, community activists, and anyone interested in understanding or developing a community's landscape ordinances.