Regenerative Design for Future Cities

Abstract

Architectural design is closely tied to our urban systems and the built environment. With increasingly densified spaces and overwhelming construction projects, how will our city sustain and revitalize itself under this social and demographic change? Regenerative design by definition is a restoring and renewing process that integrates the social, economic and environmental aspects into the urban system in order to promote a more resilient living environment aligning with the social needs of all1. This process is established upon the cultural value of each specific place, the environmental conditions, and the socio-economic aspects. This project will examine the two directions Regeneration Towards Urban Synergy and Regeneration Towards Ecological Resilience exemplified by design works throughout the TI of Architecture and Urbanism at Cornell University. The design works contain studio projects and feasibility analysis during seminars that embrace the multi-perspective realm of regenerative design. This project argues that regenerative design, both at the architectural and urban scales, is key to create values within our cities. This process celebrates the idea to regenerate, rather than exhaust our energy and resources, which helps re-aligns our social life with the natural environment as an integrated system. At the same time, the regenerative design celebrates the dynamic urban life for our future cities towards a resilient system.