World Bank Endorses Sustainability and Resiliency Standards for Urban Design Outlined in Book by Peter Calthorpe
BERKELEY, Calif. – Authored by acclaimed urban planning visionary Peter Calthorpe of HDR | Calthorpe Associates, Ending Global Sprawl: Urban Standards for Sustainable Resilient Development addresses social, economic, and environmental challenges based on current patterns of low-density, low-income, and high-density urban sprawl. Published for the World Bank's Global Platform for Sustainable Cities (GPSC), the book rests on the thesis that while each city is unique, the global challenges resulting from urban sprawl in its varied forms are universal.
“The health and well-being of humankind will depend on the kind of cities we build in the next two generations,” said Peter Calthorpe, urban design & planning principal, HDR | Calthorpe Associates. “The way we shape cities will impact humanity’s most pressing challenges: climate change and habitat stability; social opportunity and community strength; economic growth and poverty.”
Providing a comprehensive approach to solving these challenges, Ending Global Sprawl details goals, actions, and metrics for seven fundamental urban design principles:
- Plan for Growth, Resilience, and Preservation
- Reserve Open Lands and Public Space
- Enhance Shared Mobility and Transit
- Build Transit-Oriented Developments (TODs)
- Mix Uses and Users
- Create Human-Scale Streets and Small Blocks
- Design for Walking and Biking
“Urban planning and the future of the city is a whole system design challenge that can only be addressed with comprehensive, long-term thinking,” said Xueman Wang, senior urban specialist and program manager for the GPSC, World Bank. “The strategies presented in Ending Global Sprawl reduce per capita environmental demands while making services, infrastructure, and economic development more efficient, more cost-effective, more accessible, and more interconnected.”
To read an executive summary or download a complimentary copy of Ending Global Sprawl, please visit hdrinc.com/ending-global-sprawl.
About HDR
For over a century, HDR has partnered with clients to shape communities and push the boundaries of what’s possible. Our expertise spans over 11,000 employees in more than 200 locations worldwide — and counting. Our engineering, architecture, environmental, and construction services bring an impressive breadth of knowledge to every project. Our optimistic approach to finding innovative solutions defined our past and drives our future.
About the World Bank’s Global Platform for Sustainable Cities
The Global Platform for Sustainable Cities (GPSC) is a partnership and knowledge platform that promotes integrated solutions and cutting-edge support for cities seeking to improve their urban sustainability. Funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the platform comprises approximately 30 cities and a range of knowledge partners. GPSC works with practitioners and thought leaders worldwide to develop solutions for sustainable urban growth. To learn more about the World Bank’s Global Platform for Sustainable Cities, please visit: https://www.thegpsc.org/.
