Towards a new ethics for architecture and the city

The unseen economic, ecological, social and cultural challenges facing contemporary societies are being addressed by architects and planners as they search for a new definition of progress and the right balance between man and the environment. The understanding of design as a collective process based on shared ethics, methods and experiments has been rewarded since 2007 by the Global Award for Sustainable Architecture^TM. An honour created by the arahitect and professor, Jana Revedin, in partnership with international scientific institutions and the Cité de l'Architecture et du Patrimoine of Paris. The award received the patronage of UNESCO in 2011.

The 2011 and 2012 award winners and their achievements are presented in this critical review by Marie-Hélène Contai which discusses the rich global debate about architecture as it addresses society's transitions.This is preceded by a new theoretical approach to urban morphologies and participatory design, « The Radicant City : Why Sustainable Living Space Grows Like Ivy » by Jana Revedin and aforeword by Christopher Alexander.