September 28, 2007

Book Review - Designing Greenways

Designing Greenways: Sustainable Landscapes for Nature and People
Paul Cawood Hellmund & Daniel Somers Smith
HT 241 .H45 2006

Building on a previous collaborative work, Ecology of Greenways, which focused on the ecology of spaces used by both humans and animals, Hellmund and Smith argue that conscientious design and planning is required to make outdoor spaces sustainable in the face of continuous use. In addition to considering the environmental aspects of outdoor design, this book also considers social components. Considerable attention is given to the function and use of outdoor spaces. Based on that understanding, designs are contemplated with the intention of sustaining that activity in an environmentally sensitive way. While numerous case studies draw attention to a wide variety of uses for outdoor spaces, the real contribution of this book is raising the questions that should be answered during landscape design projects.