INTERNATIONAL BOOKS - CARFREE DESIGN MANUAL

	International Books

	Dear reader,
	Why on earth would anyone bother about something so far-fetched as carfree cities? Cars, it seems, are a fact of life. But give it some thought. Imagine life in a carfree city, and you will realize that as a citizen your life would be far better than in car-based cities. The argument was clearly advanced in J.H. Crawford's earlier book, Carfree Cities, in which he showed that carfree cities are entirely feasible and practical. All that is required is excellent public transport. The economic crisis, climate change, and peak oil are powerful reasons to consider this idea anew. So imagine, if you were asked to design a carfree city, what you would come up with. Which cities would you like to live in? Los Angeles or Paris without cars? Would Phoenix, Madrid, or even Venice come to mind? The difference between carfree cities and current cities is absolute. You must start from scratch. You would need to reconsider urban theory, the planning process, and the kinds of buildings, streets, and squares that you find most appealing. You would need a new design method to realize your own wishes and those of the people you would prefer to have as neighbors. J.H. Crawford does just this in his new book Carfree Design Manual, a sequel to Carfree Cities. Embark on this journey and follow along with Crawford in 600 pages with 888 striking color photographs and 81 clear drawings. The book is meant not for specialists (although they have much to learn from it) but for anyone considering the way he or she would like to live in a better, more sustainable future. Carfree Design Manual isbn 978 90 5727 060 4 600 pages, 888 color photographs, 81 illustrations, US$ 45, € 39,95 Published by International Books Grifthoek 151, 3514 JK Utrecht, the Netherlands i-books@antenna.nl www.carfree.com

		‘Crawford “thinks outside the box”. He offers a new paradigm for the city, one that also opens new vistas for sustainable cities.’ Stavros Dimas EU Commissioner for Environment
	Carfree Design Manual J.H. Crawford
	In Carfree Design Manual J.H. Crawford considers how to meld carfree planning with innovative design methods to achieve great improvements in the quality of urban design. The goal is to make carfree cities so irresistibly attractive that people will clamor for them. Carfree Design Manual makes city design accessible to everyone. The design of local streets will be determined by the people who will use them. The resulting places will fit the needs and desires of the residents. Once cars are removed from city streets, a great deal of design flexibility arises. In particular, streets can be much narrower than today. Without cars, we are free to arrange the intimate, small-scale neighborhoods that people seem to prefer. Part I considers theoretical issues in carfree city planning and design. Practice through the ages is reviewed and the influence of values is considered. Methods of analysis are discussed. Density issues are considered and illustrated. Part II examines the urban planning processes that must be completed before design can actually begin. The influence of planning on design is considered at length. The social advantages of urban villages are discussed. Part III presents a richly-illustrated palette of the urban elements that make up a pleasing whole. Streets, squares, buildings, and other elements are examined in detail. Part IV turns to the actual design of a carfree district. Innovative, direct, and simple methods are proposed to allocate building sites and to engage the future residents in the design of their new neighborhood. The methods are based on the creation of urban villages, which offer a rich social life to their members. The completed neighborhoods would reflect the needs, desires, and hopes of their residents. The process should yield complex, beautiful neighborhoods that will endure because people cherish them.	- isbn 978 90 5727 060 4 - 20 x 20 cm, hardcover, full color - 600 pages - 888 color photographs, 81 illustrations - € 39,95 / US$ 45,-

	International Books is an imprint of Uitgeverij Jan van Arkel Grifthoek 151 3514 JK Utrecht The Netherlands tel ++31 30 2731 840 i-books@antenna.nl www.antenna.nl/i-books