Designing for Hope ─ Pathways to Regenerative Sustainability

"A forward looking book on sustainable design that describes problems and then, by providing a different way to conceptualise design and development, leads on to examples of regenerative solutions. Its aim is to move the discussion away from doing less, but still detracting from our ecological capital, to positively contributing and adding to this capital. This book offers a hopeful response to the often frightening changes and challenges we face; arguing that we can actively create a positive and abundant future through mindful, contributive engagement that is rooted in a living systems based worldview. Concepts and practices such as Regenerative Development, Biophilic Design, Biomimicry, Permaculture and Positive Development are explored through interviews and case studies from the built environment to try and answer questions such as: 'How can projects focus on creating a positive ecological footprint and contribute to community?'; How can we as practitioners restore and enrich the relationships in our projects?; and 'How does design focus hope and create a positive legacy?'"--

Dominique Hes is an academic at the University of Melbourne who has been asking: ‘Why, when we have been "doing" sustainability for so long, are we having an ever-increasing impact?’ People create such beauty with music, food, art, buildings and community, so why is it so difficult to be a thriving part of the earth’s systems? She has degrees in Science (Botany) from the University of Melbourne, Engineering (Cleaner Production) and a PhD in Architecture from RMIT University, Australia.

Chrisna du Plessis is Associate Professor in the Department of Construction Economics, University of Pretoria, South Africa, where she explores what concepts such as resilience and regenerative design would mean for how we think about urban sustainability and how we live our lives. She holds degrees in architecture from the University of Pretoria, a PhD from the University of Salford, UK and an honorary doctorate from Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden.