Ecological Urban Planning and Design: A Systematic Literature Review

Angela Heymans, Jessica Breadsell, Gregory M. Morrison, Joshua J. Byrne and Christine Eon
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Angela Heymans: Curtin University Sustainability Policy Institute, School of Design and the Built Environment, Curtin University, Bentley 6102, Australia
Jessica Breadsell: Curtin University Sustainability Policy Institute, School of Design and the Built Environment, Curtin University, Bentley 6102, Australia
Gregory M. Morrison: Curtin University Sustainability Policy Institute, School of Design and the Built Environment, Curtin University, Bentley 6102, Australia
Joshua J. Byrne: Curtin University Sustainability Policy Institute, School of Design and the Built Environment, Curtin University, Bentley 6102, Australia
Christine Eon: Curtin University Sustainability Policy Institute, School of Design and the Built Environment, Curtin University, Bentley 6102, Australia

Sustainability, 2019, vol. 11, issue 13, 1-20

Abstract: Urbanization is a defining feature of the modern age, yet the current model of urban development profoundly alters the natural environment, often reducing biodiversity and ultimately threatening human wellbeing. An ecologically based urban planning and design paradigm should consider a more harmonious relationship. Through a systematic literature review of 57 papers, this research identified relevant concepts and theories that could underpin this new paradigm. It revealed a noticeable increase in academic interest in this subject since 2013 and the development of concepts and theories that reflect a more holistic socio-ecological systems approach to urban planning and design based on a transdisciplinary integration and synthesis of research. Seven main themes underpin the academic literature: ecosystem services, socio-ecological systems, resilience, biodiversity, landscape, green infrastructure, as well as integrated and holistic approaches. Six of these can be organised into either a sustainability stream or a spatial stream, representing the foundations of a potential new ecological urban planning and design paradigm that applies sustainability-related concepts in a spatial setting. The final theme, integrated and holistic, includes concepts that reflect the fundamental characteristics of this new paradigm, which can be termed ‘urban consonance’.

Keywords: urban planning; systematic literature review; ecosystem services; urban consonance (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (22)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:13:p:3723-:d:246560

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