Synopsis for Volume Two
Cities integrated into the global economy will
power economic growth and technological progress in the new millennium. At
the same time, cities represent major challenges to its governments and
citizens, as places to live as well as work and move about in. Mega-cities
such as, Istanbul and Mexico City, present an ensemble of major development
issues that a rapidly urbanising world will be facing, if it is not already
doing so. In this the second volume of the book on model cities - urban best
practices, focus is on identity, culture, arts and history as well as
housing, community, the role of civic participation in urban planning and
design and the challenges of planning in Asian cities. The constructs for
considering the gracious living and standards of civilisation to be found in
cities that have been forgotten in time are reviewed. History, culture and
the arts are discussed in relation to their contribution towards heritage
conservation not only of monumental aspects of the city but familiar ways of
life and building construction as well as the city's relationship with
nature. Contributors include well-known scholars like David Harvey, who has
written a variation on the theme of social movements and civic participation
in cities. He joins the other authors who have dwelt at length on
fascinating case-studies on the social dynamics among the actors that shape
our cities - citizens and businesses, culture, the arts and identities in
the making. There is room for history and cultural conservation even in
congested and busy cities such as, Ho Chi Minh City and Bangkok. They are
among the largest metropolitan areas in Southeast Asia. Yet a small but
long-established community in Bangkok has learnt that it too, can stake its
claim for space amidst myriad other similar and more clamorous demands from
real estate developers. Cities that accommodate a way of life its citizens
prefer have provided the foundation for further growth and development much
like a rediscovery of the importance of arts and culture in city life has
given cities new found confidence and improved economic prospects. Cities
beautiful, the mystic to be found in city life as well as the need to
re-discover the benefits of urbanism as a way of life in Asia and elsewhere
are the themes of papers that must surely point the way towards new thinking
on cities. It is thinking that has to be introduced to re-engage readers in
the discourse on urban development and management issues that have to be
urgently addressed everywhere.
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Ooi, Giok Ling, ed. 2000.
Model Cities: Urban Best Practices
(Volume 1).
Singapore: Urban Redevelopment Authority,
Singapore and The Institute of Policy Studies.
(258 pages, ISBN 981-04-2447-7)
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